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NATURE NOTES 
EXCURSIONS. 
Sa/urday, April 25. — A small party of eight members assembled at West 
Wickham in most wintry weather. An hour’s walk through the wood to 
Addington was enjoyed, and the visit to this tiny but most ancient and note- 
worthy village proved very interesting. The Cricketers’ Inn, with its tenure of 
300 years by one family, was pointed out, also the tomb of a blacksmith whose 
lamily had an even longer history in the same village. Addington having been 
for a century the residence of the Archbishops of Canterbury has, of course, 
many ecclesiastical memories. In its church and churchyard, which were duly 
visited, are the mortal remains of no less than five Primates — Tait, 1878; 
Longley, 1868 ; Sumner, 1862, Howley, 1848, and Manners-Sutton, 1828. The 
ancient chancel, dating from Roman times, with its round-headed windows as 
well as the curious side-window, were pointed out. The brasses and memorials 
to the Leigh family (John Leigh, 1509) also proved interesting, and the handsome 
Tait window was noticed. 
The sexton provided tea in his summer-house, and the return walk was 
through the woods to Shirley, where a visit was paid to the grave of John 
Ruskin’s father and mother, with its beautifully worded inscriptions from their 
famous son’s pen. The walk should have ended here, for here winter overtook 
the Selbornians, and for the remainder of the walk a most severe snowstorm, 
a unique experience in Selborne walks, was encountered. 
The walkers finally reached Croydon, and were unanimous in their thanks to 
Mr. Hunt for the very interesting and beautiful ramble he had so successfully 
carried out. 
Saturday, May 2. — The Honorary Excursions Secretary, Mr. H. H. Poole, 
conducted seventeen members of the .Society over Farthing Down and Devilsden 
Woods. Typical representations of flowers found in calcareous soil were seen. 
In the hedge-row the mealy guelder-rose {Viburnum Lantana) was in bud, and 
beneath it the moschatel showed its cubical pale green inflorescence. Yellow 
dead nettle was found in a copse, and the violet blossoms of ground ivy were 
abundant there. A few stray catkins still hung on the hazels, though the leaves 
had all burst through their scales and showed their delicate green serrated edge. 
Bees were busy gathering honey from willows, which showed not only leaves but 
catkins in good condition. Thrushes and blackbirds kept up a chorus of song, 
and occasionally, as the woods were neared, the nightingale was heard. Chiff- 
chaffs were abundant in Devilsden Woods, and the cockoo could he heard at 
intervals also. On the grassy banks leading to the wood grew stitchwoit and 
violet, and in the pasture land were many cowslips, but most were only in bud. 
In the woods the wood anemone, the primrose, wood spurge, dog’s mercury, 
and the bluebell were found.’ Two robins’ nests were seen by the party. The 
first nest discovered contained four eggs, and the second held four young birds. 
Before the party separated, a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Poole. 
Saturday, May 9. — In lovely spring weather a small party, under the 
guidance of Mr. E. A. Nash, left Smallford Station and walked by field-paths 
and green rides along the banks of the Colne to London Colney. 
After tea the ramblers walked by way of Littlehanger Park and Colney Heath 
to Hatfield. In spite of the lateness of the season many spring flowers were 
found, and an ornithologist in the party pointed out nests of the thrush, blackbird, 
hedge-sparrow and partridge. 
FORTHCOMING EVENTS. 
Council and Committee Meetings. 
Monday, June 15. — General Purposes Committee at 5.30 p.m. 
Tuesday, yuly 28. — Council Meeting at 5.30 p.m. 
' “ Oh, bother the flowers that bloom in the Spring.” 
W. S. Gilbert. 
