318 



THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



crystalised limestone strewn about. I now 

 thought it quite time to put my handkerchief 

 at the back of my head, for the flies were 

 following me in thousands, and kept up a 

 continual humming. The further I walked 

 the more numerous they appeared to become, 

 till I was nearly driven mad with their itch- 

 ings. Now and then when I looked at my 

 hand I beheld spots of blood on it, there 

 were something else besides flies. Every- 

 one knows how uncomfortable it is for flies 

 to keep settling on their nose. It made me 

 quite out of humour to search for moths, 

 although I managed to obtain several new 

 species (to me). Passing over on to the 

 Lawrence Hill, I seated myself on a bed of 

 purple heather, which looked beautiful, 

 be"ng in full bloom. Rabbits here were 

 extremely numerous, running down the 

 slopes and in the valley beneath. I ob- 

 served several kestrels soaring about in 

 quest of prey ; some of them were making 

 a peculiar screeming noise which sounded 

 like a young bird or a chicken. Now and 

 then one would give a dart, but I could not 

 see what they took. Wood pigeons were 

 abundant everywhere. Jays were also very 

 plentiful, several denoting their presence 

 by a screech. After staying here for a short 

 time I passed down into the valley after a 

 very steep descent. At the bottom a quarry 

 is worked and a capital section obtained. 

 The great beds of volcanic agglomerates are 

 seen clearly defined, dipping into the face 

 of the quarry, a d, therefore, nearly in the 

 direction of the length of the hills. Some 

 of the blocks of which the agglomerate is 

 composed are of considerable size, and some 

 are of the beautiful red altered glassy rock. 

 I took several small specimens with me. 

 Cutting through these beds there are two 

 or three dykes of an ancient basalt, one of 

 them dividing into two branches in the 

 upper part. Continuing along the road I 

 observed the quartzite, which flanks the hill 

 sides. The grass which covers the surface 



of the ground obscures the geological struc- 

 ture, but one or two bosses of trap will be 

 noticed, and at the south end the altered 

 pitchstone stands out in a bare mass of rock, 

 from which a splendid view of the surround- 

 ing country is obtainable. At the bottom of 

 the valley is a stream, which I followed for a 

 short distance till I came to a field which wss 

 completely crowded with meadow browns 

 and small heath butterflies and bees ; then 

 going through a wicket I came on to the 

 main road, and turned into a farmhouse on 

 the left to obtain a little refreshment. The 

 people of the house evidently did not under- 

 stand trading, for when I asked what was 

 the damage they said three halfpence for 

 two glasses of milk and two slices of bread 

 and butter, — but, of course, I gave them 

 more. They would not have fared well in 

 "Sharper Brum," They were very civil 

 people. Leaving I went across a field and 

 disturbed a grey plover off her nest, but I 

 did not stay to look for the eggs. Five 

 minutes' walk more and I came to the foot 

 of the Wrekin, which I soon ascended. 

 From its peculiarly isolated position this 

 huge wood-covered mass of volcanic rock 

 commands an extremely fine view, and " the 

 gaunt Wrekin, like a well-strung bow," is a 

 landmark all through the midland counties 

 The prospect extends from Edge Hill, south 

 of Birmingham, to Cader Idris, and from 

 Malvern to the borders of Yorkshire, I 

 walked along the summit till I came to a 

 prominent rock on its most southern end 

 The weather was very fine, but it was not 

 so clear as I should have wished for, although 

 I had a magnificent look round. Returning 

 at about 12.30 p.m., I passed down into the 

 horse road and made the best of my way to 

 Wellington (three miles), and after taking 

 lunch and having a look about the town I 

 took the 2.7 p.m. train back to Birmingham, 

 from thence to Sutton and home, after 

 spending a very pleasant morning on the 

 Wrekin. 



