54 
was carefully searched by the geologists of the party, under the guidance of 
Mr. W. W. Stoddart, F.G.S., who reported that among other fossils charac- 
teristic of the Upper Llandovery beds, the following were found, more 
or less abundantly : Holopella obsoleta, Atrypa hemispherica, stems of 
Glyptocrinus, Cornulites serpularius, Tentaculites Anglicus, Rhaphistoma 
lenticulare, Encrinurus, Phacops Stokesii, with many other Trilobites, and 
the usual Rhynchonella nucula, associated with the common Upper Llan- 
dovery Brachiopods, altogether making a very rich collection of fossils, 
considering the shortness of the time devoted to obtaining them. During 
the search for fossils, many of the party walked to Old Tortworth Court, 
and examined the remarkable chestnut-tree in the orchard attached to it. 
This tree is mentioned in many Botanical works as an example of the age 
of trees, a document in the reign of Stephen containing a reference to it 
as even then (12th century) an old tree. The interior of the trunk is 
much decayed, and the lower branches rest more or less upon the ground. 
The geologists having rejoined the party, Mr. Sanders pointed out the 
conglomerate in the Old Red Sandstone of the neighbouring hill, and the 
whole party proceeded to the grounds of new Tortworth Court, where, by 
the kind permission of Earl Ducie, most readily granted in answer to the 
request of the President, they inspected the hothouses and conservatories 
belonging to the mansion, under the able and obliging guidance of the 
head-gardener, Mr. Cramb, to whom the members were much indebted for 
the information so readily and courteously afforded them. In walking 
through the grounds, he pointed out a spot near the house, where the 
lowest beds of the mountain limestone were seen, most of the. strata in 
the immediate neighbourhood being Devonian. 
After spending a short time very pleasantly in the grounds of the Court, 
the members walked back to Charfield by the high road, and having, as 
usual, dined together, on this occasion very comfortably at the inn close 
to the station, they returned to Bristol by the 6.30 p.m. train. 
MEETINGS OF SECTIONS 
GEOLOGICAL SECTION. 
Friday, May 18.— First walk of the Season, to Aust Cliff. 
The members left Bristol by train at 2.40 p.m., and after a pleasant walk 
from the New Passage, commenced the examination of the beds at the 
S/W. end of the Cliff, and as a large mass of the rocks had lately fallen 
at that place, a good series of fossils, characteristic of the Rhcetic or 
Avicula contorta zone, were obtained in an exceedingly perfect state. 
