SELBORNE SOCIETY NOTICES 
19 
United Kingdom, there to view the often rare birds which, under the most varied 
conditions, came, with their nests, within the range of his camera. Mr. Pike 
seasoned his lecture with humorous anecdotes from time to time, and on its con- 
clusion received a most hearty vote of thanks from his hearers. Mr. Geo. 
B. Dewar, B..\. , occupied the Chair. 
SELBORNE SATURDAY AFTERNOONS. 
November 2%. —Notwithstanding an inclement afternoon, about fifty Selbornians 
met at .\shley Gardens, Westminster, to view the new Cathedral, the foundation 
stone of which was laid by the late Cardinal Vaughan on June 29, 1895. The 
party were met at the porch by Mr. Griffiths, who with much courtesy and 
lucidity explained the various features of interest. Upon entering the building 
one is impressed by the grand and noble proportions of the Nave, roofed by four 
enormous domes, intended when complete to to be resplendent w ith gorgeous 
mosaics. Marble columns of great beauty, obtained from Greece, Italy, Norway 
and Switzerland, and quarried, cut and polished, in one solid block by the 
respective native workmen, attracted immediate attention by their height and 
variety. Each column is surmounted by a marble capital, no two being alike in 
design. 
The High -Vltar is a conspicuous object, one solid block of unpolished grey 
granite from Cornwall, 12 feet in length and 4 feet wide, weighing 12 tons. It 
was considered a piivilege to ascend the steps and admire its rugged beauty. 
Attention is drawn to the great wooden Cross, 30 feet in height, with the figure 
of Christ painted thereon, to be suspended over the .\ltar. Our courteous guide 
led the party through dark pass.nges and stairways to the Crypt, dedicated to 
•St. Peter, where the remains of the deceased Cardinals will shortly be laid. The 
Crypt is supported by six red Norwegian granite columns capped with grey marble 
of varied pattern. 
The ascent of the Campanile (St. Edward’s Tower) was granted as a special 
favour to the .Selborne Society, a privilege that gave rise to disappointment in 
respect to non-members present. There were 340 steps to climb ere the belfry 
was reached ; but as the bells are not yet in position, we contented ourselves with 
a walk on the outside gallery, examining the superb red brickwork, united with 
hard cement capable of resisting the elements for ages. We stood 260 feet 
above street level, the total height of tower being 297 feet. Carefully descend- 
ing in single file, we next visited the Chapter House, now being used as a pro- 
visional Chapel, and retired to the unfinished Baptistry, in the centre of which 
stands the huge marble font, having eight sides 3 feet each, or 24 feet in the 
octagon, these large proportions being necessary to correspond with surrounding 
dimensions. Here, with grateful acknowledgements, we bade adieu to our obliging 
guide. 
The construction of the building is early Christian Byzantine, its external 
length being 360 feet, width 156 feet, and area 54,000 square feet. It was 
planned, designed and carried out by the late John F. Bentley, a fitting and 
enduring monument of his genius. 
December 12. — Professor Boulger gave his deferred demonstration at the 
Natural History Museum. Confining his remarks to Flowering Plants, he first 
directed the attention of the party to structural characters distinguishing Mono- 
cotyledons and Dicotyledons as shown in the Index Museum in two bays of the 
Central Hall ; and then, in the Botanical Gallery, described the adaptational 
characters of parasitic plants, climbing plants, aquatic plants, xerophytes and 
plant-defences. 
December 19. — It is well known that the old City Companies possess some fine 
buildings, erected when land in the City of London was not so valuable as it is now. 
These are generally hidden away behind shops and warehouses, and the quiet peace 
of their rooms is a sharp contrast to the bustle and noise outside their doors. 
These old buildings are of great historical interest and often contain ancient 
records, charters, &c. , and very valuable old plate; consequently it is not very 
easy to obtain permission to see them. However, Mr. George Avenell arranged 
for the Hampstead Branch to visit the Brewers’ and the Barber Surgeons’ Halls. 
