Iviii Proceedimjs. 



Abinger Hammer. The soil seems favourable to conifers, the 

 Scotch fir reaching a large size. On the top of Leith Hill are 

 some well-grown trees of Araucaria, and at Abiuger some tall 

 trees of Wellingtonia [Seguoia giijantea), bearing round cones, 

 small in proportion to the size of the tree. Tliat primitive 

 appliance for salutary punishment and warning, the village 

 stocks, is still to be seen standing by Abinger Church. 



A half-day excursion was made on Saturday, May 26th, to 

 Ashtead, Oxshott, and Esber. The attendance was limited. 

 Ashtead Common is a relic of forest scenery ; the oaks, which are 

 the prevailing tree, have been formerly pollarded in the exercise 

 of the commoners' right of cutting firewood, but thuir limbs have 

 now a growth of some sixty years, forming stately trees, with 

 green ferny glades between them. Unfortunately the tender 

 green young foliage of the oaks liad been blackened and de- 

 stroyed by the severe frost which occurred on the night of May 

 20th.* Ashtead Common being on stiff London Clay, a varied 

 flora is not to be looked for. Ant-mounds are of unusual size and 

 abundance. Oxshott Common is on the gravelly beds of the 

 Lower Bagshot Sand, and is covered on the higher ground with a 

 vegetation of heather and pine, while in the wet hollows are to 

 be found bog-plants, such as the sundew, the dwarf willow, the 

 petty-whin, and several species of Sphac/num ; and in ponds the 

 marsh St. John's-wort [H. elodes). On arrival at Esher the 

 party were hospitably entertained by Mr, and Mrs. Eutland 

 Saunders, and returned by an evening train. 



On June 23rd an excursion was made to Warlingham and 

 Worms Heath, under the guidance of Mr. Goodman, and was 

 well attended. Ascending the hill from Upper Warlingham 

 Station towards Warlingham Church a chalk-pit was passed, in 

 which several of the commoner chalk-fossils were met with. 

 Warlingham Church has recently undergone renovation and 

 enlargement ; the earliest portions of the present building date 

 from about a.d. 1250, but it occupies the site of an earlier church, 

 of which traces in the shape of worked stones were found in the 

 walls of the existing building. Tiie architectural features of 

 interest were pointed out by Mr. Goodman, among them beiug 

 an ancient fresco painting of St. Christopher. From Warling- 

 ham Church the party proceeded by Crew's Farm and Chelsham 

 Place to Worms Heath. Worms Heath is an outlier of the 

 Oldhaven Pebble Gravel on the chalk downs at a height of over 

 800 ft. above the sea. At this elevation the clouds, which had 

 veiled the sky all the afternoon, were in contact with the ground, 

 forming great drifting masses of vapour which obscured the 

 view, while below their under surface the features of the valley 



• 29° F. at Park Hill Eise, Croydon. 



