7 
alarming announcement that, instead of our usual subscription of 
from one shilling to three and sixpence a. year, a call was now to 
be made, amounting to fifteen shillings. "When, however, it was 
remembered that we had paid no subscription the previous winter, 
we were somewhat pacified. When we thought of Dr. Wright’s 
most valuable papers, which he had read, and the exquisite speci- 
mens he had produced to us of the Pteroceras Wrightii, and the 
Echinoderms, of which copies were promised us, we were recon- 
ciled; but it was not till the work was actually produced, on May 
8rd, and we were able to estimate the credit accruing to our Club 
from the production of a work so valuable in its letter-press, and 
so beautifully illustrated, as Dr. Wright’s care has rendered it, 
that we were quite happy. 
The second, and more important, as well as more agreeable 
feature of the day was, that amongst our visitors was the Rev F. 
Symonds, of Pendock, a member of the Woolhope Naturalists’ 
Club, and President of that newly established at Malvern ; both 
clubs, we believe we may venture to say, formed on our model. 
If nothing had been seen or done on this day further than to 
make arrangements for the meeting of our Club, which took place 
on the 7th of June, and which laid the foundation, we trust, for 
many future annual meetings—that alone would have been sufli- 
cient to mark the day in the annals of our Club. 
On May the 2nd, the Club commenced its summer rambles for 
1853, at Gloucester, whence we proceeded by steamer down the 
canal to Sharpness. The weather certainly did not favour us, but 
it gave us a proof that the interest in the study of nature is not 
so dependent upon mere weather as many might suppose. It 
poured the whole day! We went in the cabin of the steamer all 
the way to Sharpness—we sat in the kitchen of the cottage 
nearly all the time we were there—and we returned in the cabin 
of the steamer. Yet interesting discussions filled up the greater 
part of the time; and particularly Mr. Buckman having crept out 
into the garden for a few minutes, under an umbrella, had col- 
lected a number of varieties of the common Primrose, which 
afforded us, from simple elements, and in simple language, a 
lecture such as Professor Buckman can give, revealing in a simple 
form some of the great truths of the physiology of the vegetable 
kingdom. 
On the 7th of June was our great field day, on which we were 
to appear, I may say, in the very respectable position of fathers 
and grandfathers to the Clubs of Woolhope and Malvern. And 
well did the day turn out, to realize our best hopes, though, alas, 
a sad shadow is now thrown on our remembrance of it. 
We of the Cotswold Club met at Gloucester, and, after break- 
fast, proceeded in the Club Omnibus to near Eastnor, where 
alighting and walking to the Valley of the White-leaved Oak, — 
(alas, the name is merely traditionary, no white-leaved oak now 
existing)—we met Mr. Symonds and many members of the 
Malvern Club, and Mr. Lewis, the President, with a considerable 
