EXCURSION TO DUDLEY. 187 



excursionists, who were joined by a numerous body of the general 

 public, next proceeded to tlie Wren's Nest HiU, which is pictu- 

 resquely situated on the north side of Dudley, is remarkable 

 in its fonuation, which is that of an elevated eUiptical dome, for the 

 extent of the mining operations in the Limestone strata and for the 

 wild and rugged beauty of some of its scenery. The inspection of the 

 "Dajiight Caverns" afforded much pleasiire. The party next passed 

 through the private gi-ounds of E. Fisher Smith, Esq., and thence to the 

 Priory Ruins. The Prioiy was founded in the middle of the twelfth 

 centuiy by Gervase Paganel. A description of the ruins was given by 

 Mr. Rupert Smith, C.E. The celebrated silurian caverns, which were 

 illuminated, were next \'isited. Passing shady dells and sylvan hills, the 

 company afterwards reached the ancient Coui-t Yard of Dudley Castle. 

 After Luncheon came the crowning event of the day — the descent by more 

 than 400 persons, including naany ladies, of the famous Lye Cross Coal 

 Pit, at Rowley, which wf s superintended by Mr. Latham. This pit is 

 remarkable as being the first sunk through the Basalt, or Rowley Rag. 

 Where the pit was commenced the thickness of the basalt was unknown ; 

 it proved to be no more than G8 yards, when the rock binds of the coal 

 measures were reached. At 1G8 yards the Two-foot and Brooch coals were 

 met with, and at 228 yards the Thick coal was cut into. The pit is 258^ 

 yards deep. The gate roads are very ■svide, high and diy. Mr. Rupert 

 Smith and Mr. Thos. Latham and his son did all in their power to 

 interest and instruct their many visitors, and they certainly succeeded 

 to admiration. The warmest thanks of the members of the Union are 

 due to them for their kindly courtesy, and for the trouble they took. 

 The excursion was made by special pel-mission of E. Fisher Smith, Esq., 

 on behalf of the Right Hon. the Earl of Dudley. The arrangements of 

 the day were caiTied out by Mr. Marten, Mr. HoUier, and others 

 connected with the Dudley Geological Society. 



THE IVnCEOPHONE, MAGNOPHONE, PHONOSCOPE, 

 AND PHONEIDOSCOPE. 



BY W. J. LANCASTER, F.C.S., F.R.A.S. 

 Having exhibited a Microphone of my own construction, and noticed 

 with much pleasure the great amount of interest displayed by the 

 visitors to the conversazione of the Union of Scientific Societies in our 

 Town Hall, I have thought a shox-t description of the INIicrophone, 

 together with a description of its associated scientific instruments lately 

 discovered, would not be out of place in " The Midland Naturahst." The 

 Microphone, as discovered by Professor Hughes, consists essentially 

 of several pieces of charcoal, connected in circuit with a few cells and a 

 telephone, a simple form being made by having two plates of gas carbon 

 glued to a thin piece of wood and being about Ijin. apart, and a cj lindrical 

 piece of gas carbon, Jin. diameter, sujfficiently long to fit loosely in 

 an indentation in lower part of top carbon plate, and in the upper part 

 of bottom plate, the ends of the rod being tapered to a point ; the thin 

 board containing this Microphone may be glued to the end of a sti'onger 

 piece of board, so that the rod is in a vertical position ; by connecting the 

 upper and lower plates in the circuit from two screws, sounds are 

 immensely amphfied. A form of Microphone which serves equally well 

 for the detection of minute sounds as for the transmission of speech is 

 the Pile Microphone, which I refer to above. This instrument consists 



