BRISTOL NATURALISTS' SOCIETY. 
' ♦ 
EXCURSION MEETING. 
From the Bristol Daily Post of June 2Ut, 1865. 
The first excursion for this season took place on Tuesday 
week, and was attended by a considerable number of members 
and lady-visitors. The party left Bristol for Clevedon by 
the 11.20 a.m. train, and were met on their arrival by the 
Rev. G. W. Braikenridge, F.L S., who had kindly undertaken 
to place his acquaintance with the localities of various inter- 
esting objects of Natural History at the disposal of the 
Society. Availing themselves of a large break and other 
means of conveyance which had been provided, the party 
drove first to the old church, situated near a cliff of carboni- 
ferous limestone. Here the geologists met with several 
characteristic fossils, as encrinites, corals, &c. Among the 
latter may be mentioned Cyathophyllum and Clisiopfeylium, 
some showing the structure very beautifully, while the 
botanists obtained specimens of several interesting plants, 
the Bee Orchis, the wild sage, Anthyllis vulneraria, Torilis 
Authriscus, &c., and also a large' number of diatoms, 
very minute microscopic plants, from the surface of 
the mud — chiefly Pleurosigma battica. After exploring 
this locality, the party divided — one portion wishing 
to explore the Rhines near Clevedon Court, whilst 
the majority, which included all the botanists, re- 
entered the conveyances and drove round by the village of 
Weston-in-Gordano to search for rare and curious 
plants in the neighbouring woods. Those who visited the 
Ehines were under the guidance of Mr. Frederick Martin, 
who on a former occasion made a communication to the 
society upon the results of his study of the marine zoology 
of the district, and they were occupied chiefly with the 
mollusca peculiar to localities of that nature. Specimens of 
the following were captured: — Bithinia, Pisidium, Planorbis 
vortex, P. spirorbis, Physa fontinalis, Lymnea peregeretor. 
On their return to Clevedon, a piece of magnesian limestone, 
containing lea l, copper, and manganese, was obtained. The 
botanists, under the guidance of the Rev. G. W. Braikenridge, 
after a loog drive in the sun, were grateful for the shelter 
afforded them by the luxuriant vegetation of Weston Comb. 
In this beautiful spot several very interesting plants were 
met with— Lithospermum purpureo-coeruleum, which is a 
local species of the borage wort, Lathyrus sylvestris, 
Hypericum montanum, Hypericum Androsoemum, Orchis 
pyramidalis, Vicia sylvatica, Pyrus Aria, or the Beam- 
. tree, and many other curious and comparatively rare 
plants. The Butterfly Orchis, which is occasionally found 
here, was not, however, discovered. Honeysuckles, roses, 
and other ordinary flowers were growing in the richest 
profusion, and the common Pteris, or brake fern, was 
