302 



THE NATURALIST. 



earlier papers on the " Geology of the District" by the then Seci-etary, shews 

 that it would be difficult to find another district of equal extent where the 

 Geological student would be able to examine such an extensive range of 

 stratified aqueous deposits, which include nearly all the members of the 

 Palaeozoic system, from the Llandeilo to the Permian, also the base of the 

 Mesozoic — the Trias, which in some places is Overlaid by the older members 

 of the Oolitic series, Mr. D. C. Davis, £tn indefatigable geologist, has contri- 

 buted several papers, amongst which is one on the discovery of fossils in the 

 Millstone Grit,a series of beds generally deemed unfossilliferous and certainly 

 not without some little truth. However, Mr. Davis records the finding of a 

 specimen of SanguinoUtes variabilis iniwo localities, one on Sweeney Hill, near 

 Oswestry, by Mr, Meredith, and another by himself and Mr. A. JSTorris, in a 

 dark sandstone near Treflach Hall in March 1860. Wiynchonellce have been 

 found in the cutting of the Oswestry and N^ewtown Eailway, near the former 

 place in 1859, and Petraia and Ortliis, near Llanfordaisaf ; fragments of 

 Encrinites and Trilohites are also mentioned, but we certainly look with 

 great suspicion upon them and should suggest further research as to whether 

 these beds are really Millstone Grit. Have they not been found in some 

 portion of what Mr. Davis calls the " middle grey beds" of the mountain 

 limestone in another paper (p. 51.) which in their upper portion pass into an 

 " impure sandy limestone" near Llanymynech 1 



At most of the excursions a number of local botanists were present, 

 and one or two papers are devoted to that science. Several plants not 

 common are noted in the locality amongst which we may mention Cladium 

 Mariscus, Osmunda 7rgalis, Neottia nidus-avis, Clilora perfoliata, but no very 

 great rarities are recorded. May we suggest to the Club the propriety of pub- 

 lishing a Pauna and Plora of the district. We are certainly somewhat sur- 

 prised to see several old names attached to some species, as Cistus 

 Helianthemum, Fumaria claviculata, Cistus mai if oliiis,Mespilus Cotoneaster, 

 &c. We should be glad to see an annual instead of septennial report of the 

 Society's proceedings in future. 



Zoology appears not to occupy a very prominent position in the Society's 

 labours — one paper only by Mr. E. G. Jebb, on " Ornithology" having been 

 contributed. This paper which was read at the *' Conversazione" on the 

 30th December 1864, gives a short sketch of the science, followed by a 

 notice of some of the birds found in the district and their habits. 



