HOLMESDALE NATUHAL HISTORY CLUB. 15 



structure of these rocks which belong to the Hastings Sand series, 

 was of much interest, many of them being of fantastic shapes, and 

 bearing evidence of having been subjected to the action of water, 

 by which the softer parts had been worn away, and the harder 

 portions left protruding. Near Merstham, on a ridge formed by the 

 outcrop of the firestone, were found Lathyrus sylvestris and Astra- 

 galus glycyphyllus. At Dorking a new cruciferous plant allied to 

 Alyssum was found growing in a clover field ; it was afterwards 

 identified as Berteroa incana, and had doubtless been imported with 

 foreign seed. On a hillside north of Ranmer Common, Hypericum 

 calycinura and Aquilegia vulgaris were found growing together in 

 great abundance. The Report also recorded the proceedings at the 

 Evening meetings of the Club. Among the donations received was 

 a copy of the " Synopsis of the British Hemiptera-Heteroptera," 

 by Mr. Edward Saunders. 



The Treasurer's Statement of Accounts for the past year, duly 

 audited, was presented, as follows : — 

 £ s. d. 



Sept. 29, 1876. To Balance 



in hand 16 5 



1877. To Subscriptions ..29 1.0 



£45 6 



£ s. d. 

 1877. By Rent, Gas, Firing 



and Cleaning ... 17 4 8 

 ,, Attendance at 



Museum (2 yrs.) 13 1 

 „ Collector's com- 

 mission, Printing, 

 Postage and 



Sundries 5 19 4 



Oct. 1. Balance in hand . . 9 10 



£45 6 



The following gentlemen were then elected as officers for the 

 ensuing year, viz : as President, Mr. Sydney Webb; Treasurer, 

 Mr. R. C. Baxter; Secretary, Mr. J. B. Crosfield; Curator, Mr. J. 

 Linnell, jr. ; Members of the Committee, Dr. Bossey, Dr. Holman, 

 Mr. E. Chambers, Mr. T. Cooper, Mr. H. E. Cox, Mr. A. J. Crosfield, 

 Mr. A. Keene, Mr. C. Marshall, and Mr. W. H. Tyndall. 



The meeting was then resolved into an ordinary Evening Meeting. 



Mr. Baxter exhibited a drawing of a Deodara in his grounds, 

 round which when a young tree twelve years ago a wire had been 

 fastened. This had subsequently escaped notice, but was at last 

 observed and removed when too late. The stem immediately above 

 the wire had swollen into a sort of bulbous- shaped excrescence, and 

 the leading shoot above it had gradually withered and died, the tree 

 in the meantime having put forth two new leaders, one on each side, 

 below the wire. Dr. Bossey referred to the mode of growth fre- 



