NATURALISTS SOCIETY. 
SECTIONAL MEETINGS. 
From the " Bristol Daily Post" of Oct, 27th, 1864. 
Botanical Section, Sept, 29th. — The members of this 
section, with their president, Mr. Leipner, met at Cumber- 
land-basin on Thursday, September 29th, for the last 
botanical walk of the season. They proceeded by means of 
the Fairy Queen as far as Pill, when, having? landed and 
passed through the village, they at once entered the romantic 
and fertile valley called Markham Bottom, which is copi- 
ously watered by the small stream running through it. The 
richness of the soil and the abundance of water had a strik- 
ing effect upon the growth of the vegetation as compared 
with that of the higher grounds this summer. The common 
brake fern, so plentiful yet stunted on our Downs, here 
attained, in one instance, a height of above seven feet, and 
other plants of this order were also remarkable for the size 
of their fronds ; among the species being polvpodium vul- 
fjare, polystichum lobatnm, lastreafilix-mas (five feet high), 
L. spinulosa, scolopendrium vulgare, asplenium trichomanes, 
and on the wall of the bridge at Markham A. ruta-murari^a. 
Some of the umbelliferoe were also very fine ; a specimen of 
angelica sylvestris measured six feet, and among others were 
noticed sium augustifolium and heracleum sphondylium. 
In the brook was a quantity of helosciadium nodiflorum, and 
its frequent companion nasturtium officinale, and on its 
banks were the broad, handsome leaves of arctium lappa. 
Pendent fr6m the branches were the beautiful garlands of 
huraulus lupulus overhanging the sweet-scented regal spiroea. 
Dipsacus pilosus in fruit was also found in considerable 
quantity, and among other plants peculiar to such localities 
were senecio aquaticus, stellaria glauca, cerastium aquaticum, 
acinos vulgaris, eupatorium cannabinum, and mentha aqua- 
tica. Several lichens and fungi were found in the valley, 
and on the bridge before mentioned some species of bryum, 
tortula, &c. On arriving at this point the party ascended 
to the Portbury-road, finding on the hedge bank sison 
amomum, hypericum perforatum, and daucus carota; cory- 
lus avellana, the nuts of which may be had in abundance, 
was seen flowering a second time, a proof of the extraordinary 
character of the season. The members then returned through 
Leiyh to Bristol. 
Gis,oLoGicAL Section, Sept. 30.— Jnaugtcral Meeting.— 
The rules of the section were made and officers selected. 
President, Mr. William Sanders, F.R.S. ; secretary, Mr. 
Frederick Ashmead. To meet on the evening of the fourth 
Friday in each month, from October to March inclusive, and 
for geological walks during the remainder of the year. A 
discussion took place on the coal measures of Bristol and 
Kingswood, the upper and lower measures being separated 
in some parts by a band of true pennant, and in others by 
pennant undistinguishable, lithologically, from millstone 
grit. The working out of the lias beds, starting from the 
so-called Sunbed at Saltford, was mentioned as appropriate 
practical work for the section. 
Chemical Photographic Section, Sept. 27. — Inaugu- 
ral Meeting. — The sectional rules were made, and Dr. W. B. 
Herapath, F.R.S., elected president, and Mr. Alfred Noble 
secretary. To meet on the second Wednesday in each month, 
for the consideration of papers in each hvaxich.— October 12. 
— Dr. Herapath addressed the section, and regretted that 
his time had been so much taken up in preparing four 
