260 REPORTS. 



or body of a tree." Dr. Stukeley (1713) was also quoted as describing the tree 

 euolosed within a wall, and " almost cut away by travellers," iin.l as having by 

 its bi'ie a "thriving young plant fioiu one ci its acorns." The Eev. W. A. 

 Leighton said he remembered when a boy his aunt, who lived at Brewood, 

 showing him a bit of touchwood, which had formed part of the original 

 tree, and he had no doubt whatever the tree they were looking at was the 

 SHpling mentioned by Dr. Stukeley. Mr. De Bunsen said he had heard of old 

 people who remembered two trees enclosed, and it had been suggested that 

 the wrong one had been shown to relic-hunters so as to presirve the original 

 tree. The paity drove back to Shifnil through Weston Park, by permission of 

 Lord Bradford, instead of along the ordinary road. 



TAMWORTH NATURAL HISTORY, GEOLOGICAL, AND ANTI- 

 QUARIAN fcOCIETY.— July Sth.— Monthly Meeting.— Mr. E. D. Hamel 

 exhibited the Microphone and described the several novel inventions recently 

 brought before the public by Prof. Bell, Eddison, and others. A number of 

 experiments were made with the Microphones, and a most successful evening 

 brought to a close by the usual vote of thanks. Ou the 19th July an excursion 

 was made to Rugby and Bilton, in which a goodly number of members accom- 

 panied the President. The party visited the Schools, (by kind permission of 

 Dr. Jex-Blake,) and afterwards inspected the valuable Archjeological collection 

 belonging to M. H. Bloxham, Esq. Conveyances then took the members to 

 Bilton, and both the Church and Hall there afforded much interest. The party 

 reached home again at nine o'clock p.m., after spending a very enjoyable 

 afternoon. August 12th. — General Meeting. — A friendly competition had been 

 entered into between two lady members of the Society as to which could 

 produce the greatest variety of wild flowers growing on the banks of the 

 Kivfrs Tame and Anker. Eighty-one specimens, carefully labelled, were 

 shown as collected on the Anker, and thirty-three from the Tame. The 

 President afterwards read a paper entitled "Primitive Man," in which he 

 dwelt on the eviden^-e aifi)rdtd in the Stone and Bronze ages, as showing 

 the existence of man at that time. 



WOOLHOPE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB.— July 18th was what is 

 courteously designated " The Ladies' Day," and, as is customary, a goodly 

 attendance of ladies i-ecogni.sed the courtesy. The Forest of Dean was the 

 scene fixed for the excursion. Much of the once forest is now bare of 

 trees, but that ))ortion which the Society visited on this occasion is stiil 

 occupied by worthy arboreal representatives of an earlier state. The Botanists 

 were on this occasion fully to tbe front, and many interesting finds were 

 secured for their vasculums. Among the most noticeable we may m'^nliou 

 Anngallis fenella, Scutellaria minor, PedicAilitis fiylcatica, Iliidrocotijle ruh/aris, 

 Ifi//)ericHm elofhs, H. hnnnfusum, and //. iinlehrum, but the great find was 

 Caiiijiaiiulii hcfhracea. A large beech tree, which at five feet from the ground 

 gave u girth of Ifilt., attracted deserved attention. Others gave 12ft. 4iii. and 

 14ft. 2in. One, just fakn, gave a girth of 14ft. 6iu. ; and as the saw h<!d cut its 

 way smoothly through, its age was ascertained, with tolerable accuracy, 

 by counting the annular rings, (123 in number.) which were a little shakj' in the 

 centre and at the margin — for which, making due allowances, twenty were added 

 to the plainly visible ones — to be no less thiin 143 years. The largest beech in 

 the for<st measured, at five feet from the ground, 17ft. 4in. in circumference, and 

 its height was estimated at from 'JOft. to looft. The " High Beeches " are still 

 loftier, and two of them are very grand ; but the most imposing only gave a 

 circumference of lOft. The hollj' trees about the " Speech House " (an inu 

 so calleil) are noticeable, some of them btinc very seed. A few funguses 

 were obtained. Dinner was served in the Verderer's Room at the " Speech 

 House," after which the veteiau, Mr. E. Lees, F.L.S., gave utterance to valuable 

 though modestly called " Cursory Notes on the Forest of Dean and some of the 

 Objects Within it," the appreciition of which was, on the motion of Dr. Bull, 

 evidenced by a unanimnus vote of thanks for present and past favours to the 

 Club. The company havinj; adjourned to the beautiful terrace on the western 

 front of the inn, ( apt. Mayne Reid gave a most pleasing account of the 

 " (3hinainpas or Floating Gardens of Mexico," whicii was acknowledged l)y a 

 cordial vote of thanks. This Field Day was a pleasant and menjorable one. 



