52 
NATURE NOTES 
several places congregated together in such vast assemblages 
— following the windings of some narrow combe or “bottom” 
of the Downs — as to suggest the idea of a river of stones. Two 
of the most remarkable of these assemblages are those to be 
found in Lockeridge Dean and Pickle Dean ; the latter collec- 
tion, from the fact that the narrow valley containing the stones 
is actually crossed by the Bath Road some four miles west of 
Marlborough, has been known ever since the old coaching days 
more particularly as the valley of the “ Grey Wethers ” (from 
the resemblance of the stones in the distance to a flock of 
sheep). Lockeridge Dean lies rather to the south, and, in spite 
of much destruction of the stones in past days, still contains 
perhaps the largest “ Sarsens” now to be found in situ anywhere. 
There can be little doubt that it was from this neighbourhood, 
perhaps from this spot, that the great Sarsen monoliths of Stone- 
henge came. 
For many generations these stones, scattered widely over the 
Downs, have been broken up and used for building and other 
purposes, mainly of a local character, but the “quarrying” (if 
the term is permissible) has not been on such a scale as to make 
any appreciable difference in the appearance of the Downs. In 
consequence of a recent change of ownership, however, there is 
every probability that the work of breaking up the Sarsens will 
be undertaken on a greatly extended scale. In the ordinary 
course, the Grey Wethers in Pickle Dean and Lockeridge Dean 
would be the first to go, owing to their situation adjacent to high 
roads ; while for the same reason their disappearance would be 
a greater loss to the public than the disappearance of those in 
more remote parts of the Downs. 
Under these circumstances it was felt that steps ought to be 
taken to secure the preservation of some characteristic examples 
of the stones in their natural condition, and representations were 
made to the owner by the National Trust and by the Wiltshire 
Archaeological Society. Mr. Alec Taylor, the present owner, 
met the representatives of the two Societies in a friendly spirit ; 
he stated at once that he intended to preserve the Dolmen, 
known as the Devil’s Den, and after some further negotiations he 
has given the National Trust an option to purchase about ii 
acres in Pickle Dean and about 9 acres in Lockeridge Dean for 
{500. 
For this sum, therefore, with some addition to cover legal and 
other necessary expenditure, an appeal is now made jointly by 
the two Societies. If the money is forthcoming, c'naracteristic 
examples of a unique geological phenomenon will be secured for 
the nation, and the Pickle Dean valley will remain in possession 
of those Grey Wethers which have for generations formed a 
curious and picturesque feature of the country traversed by the 
Bath Road. About £200 is still required. 
L’Association pour la Protectio.n des Plantes. — We have 
received the twentieth Bulletin of this Association, containing the 
