12 



apifcra from the same district. On the summit of the hill a paper was read by 

 Dr. Bull, descriptive of the camp. He regarded it as a military stronghold, and 

 pictured the contests which may, or may not, have taken place in the district of 

 which it is the centre. A short discussion followed, and it was manifest that 

 other more prosaic and utilitarian views were held by some of the members, as to 

 the origin and conformation of the so-called camp. The Rev. W. Tedman and 

 Mr. Lewis held that it had been, previous to the last half century, a grazing farm, 

 and then a rabbit warren ; that the holes in various parts of the camp were simply 

 quarries ; that the walls, which are principally on the northern and eastern slope 

 of the hill, were built of the stones from those quarries, and were intrenchments, 

 not to keep out an enemy, but to keep in the rabbits. This view was supported 

 by the Rev. W. Chudleigh, who alleged that there were similar camps in Dorset- 

 shire. A New Zealander who had examined them told him the Maoris construct 

 their pahs in a similar manner. They thereby secure nightly protection to their 

 people and cattle.* The members next descended the south-eastern slope of the 

 hill to inspect the church. Here some interesting inscriptions were found, and 

 some of the members derived much pleasure from taking rubbings of them. In 

 the churchyard another paper was read, which Dr. Bull entitled "Fragments 

 of the History of Aconbury Church and Priory," upon which the Rev. F. T. 

 Havergal commented with equal zest and learning. Mr. Robert Clarke had 

 admirably prepared the illustrations for the paper. The record of the day's pro- 

 ceedings would be incomplete without a grateful recognition of the kind and genial 

 hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Flower, of Aconbury Court, who took great pains to 

 make the visit of the club a complete success. The members then returned to 

 Hereford, and dined together at the Merton Hotel. Here the ordinary business 

 of the club was transacted, and a further contribution to the series of XDapers on the 

 "Birds of Herefordshire" was read by Dr. Bull. On this occasion he read of 

 the "Swans, Geese, and Ducks." 



The third Field Meeting was the " Ladies' Day," and was held on the 10th 

 of July, at Abergavenny, for the ascent of the " Sugar Loaf." We were favoured 

 with fine weather, though there was a decided haze, and the distant ranges could 

 not be seen. The members and the visitors mustered in strong force, 99 

 altogether, and about three-fourths of them ascended the mountain. On the 

 summit, who could desire a finer rostrum ! Our good friend, Mr. Piper, read to 

 us our only geological paper during the year, an admirable address on the " Old 

 Red Sandstone." He told us he had that morning travelled from Ledbury to 

 Abergavenny, and had never been off the Old Red Sandstone. The unscientific 

 mind began to wonder what was the condition of our globe when the formation of 

 this mighty mass began ? Where could all the materials have come from, the 

 disintegration of which produced such immense depositions? What could have 

 been the number of seons required for the deposit of strata of such a thickness ? 



* The probability is that both views are right. The camp has been uoed for both mihtary and 

 agricultural purposes. 



