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Upper Chalk here on the top, they saw it capped by flint pebbles 
and clays of the Tertiary formation. This mixture of pebbles 
and clays made it easy for water to be procured, and grass, and 
even vegetables, to be grown here for the use of the ancient 
occupiers. He was much struck with the botanical features of the 
uppermost part, which was quite a marsh, and instead of the usual 
Chalk flora, they found the Carduus palustris growing here 
abundantly. This Plume thistle, as it was called, loved moist 
places ; and another peculiarity was that instead of the normal 
purple colour of the blossoms, white flowers predominated. As 
they were walking along the ramparts, the botanists, no doubt, 
noticed many specimens of the bee orchis of the normal colour, but 
one variety of the same plant was found which had lost its usual 
brilliant hue and had become white or straw colour. Was this 
change due to soil or climate? The reason was not evident. 
The Rev. Prebendary Scarth having been called on to add a few 
remarks on the camp, apologised for presuming to say anything in 
the presence of so many local antiquaries, who ought to know 
much more of the camp than he possibly could from a mere 
cursory glance. He was well acquainted with the Somersetshire 
earthworks, those on his own ground, some of which were very 
fine, but not so large or fine as Maiden Castle, or perhaps covering 
the same space of ground as those he had visited within the last 
two days ; but he might instance those of Worle hill and Dole- 
bury camp as fine examples in Somerset. The method of con- 
struction also was somewhat different ; there, owing to the 
abundance of stone, the hammer was more used than the spade. 
The one in which they were standing was evidently the work of a 
large tribe, for the neighbouring country must have once been 
thickly populated. As totheircivilisation, he thought their scientific 
knowledge was more advanced in a rough way than was generally 
supposed. He concluded by apologising for the small attendance 
‘of the Bath Club, and expressed his pleasure at meeting so many 
ladies and gentlemen of the Dorset Club, and hoped they would 
