a 
59 
growth to common limes, although the alteration of the levels of 
the ground in forming the deer park may cause the branches now 
to appear to spring from the main trunks far closer to the ground 
than was originally the case. The boles of the trees also are 
not round, as is customary in the filia ewropea, but composed 
of many combined stems, which gives these ancient limes a weird 
and unusual aspect. The measurement of one of the largest of 
the trees was immediately taken, and at 2 feet 5 inches from the 
ground the girth was found to be 19 feet 6 inches, and the circuit 
of the first branch, which sprang from the main stem at the same 
level, measured 7 feet 10 inches. If the small-leaved lime be not 
indigenous in England, these must be some of the first trees 
planted in our country, and great doubts still exist whether the 
tree be truly a native of our flora, the large-leaved species now 
generally grown being indubitably of South European origin. 
A start was again made by the party under the guidance of their 
worthy conductor, Col. Long, who being an excellent pedestrian, 
and suitably shod for this slippery and rocky country, put the 
pedestrian powers of the members of the Bath Field Club to a 
pretty severe test. No rain had fallen for over 50 days, and the 
_ grass on Wrington Warren and in Gobblin Combe was short and 
brown, and as slippery as ice, and although many of the 
pedestrians in descending into the combe and climbing out of it, 
bemoaned their ignorance of the need of spikes in their boots, and 
larded the'lean earth in their struggles to preserve their perpendic- 
ularity, all reached the Wood without abrasion and wound. Then 
all seemed fair sailing, but unfortunately the natives. seemed 
capable of climbing over Mountain-limestone walls, the protruding 
stones on each side being highly polished by innumerable iron- 
shod soles, which gave no little trouble to the stifflimbed /and 
rheumatic denizens of Bath. But flowers again appeared, long 
lost sight of on Wrington Warren and Brockley Wood, and soon 
rewarded the search of the botanists. Three members of the 
company had started off to the head of Gobblin Combe, in 
