242 MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. Nov., 1891. 
Natural History and Scientific Societies—Professor Hillliouse, 
Messrs. P. H. Levi, C. Pumphrey, W. R. Hughes, F.L.S., C. 
R. Rolinson, W. Hudson, C. J. Watson, and N. G. Weaver ; 
Dudley and Midland Geological and Scientific Society and 
Field Club—Messrs. G. H. Claughton, E. B. Marten, H. 
Johnson, W. Madeley and W. Wickham King (secretaries), 
H. W. Hughes, T. F. Bland, E. Hollier, and the Revs. J. 
Hodgson (Kinver). and J. B. Lloyd ; Oswestry and Welsh¬ 
pool Field Club—The Rev. 0. M. Feilden and Mr. J. Dovas- 
ton; Birmingham Philosophical Society—Dr. T. Stacey 
Wilson ; Derby Archaeological and Natural History Society— 
Mr. H. Arnold Bemrose. 
The President (Mr. G. H. Claughton) in opening the 
proceedings, said—As chairman of to-day’s proceedings, it is 
my most agreeable duty to bid you welcome to Dudley in the 
name of the Dudley and Midland Geological and Scientific 
Society. That society, gentlemen, knows well what it is 
about in inviting you to these parts to-day. It has a selfish 
design on you. It knows the value of criticism, and it knows 
the truth of what has been well said, that, though much may 
be learned from books and lonely investigation, yet it is personal 
contact and mind meeting mind that causes the mental friction 
which strikes out ideas. Accordingly, gentlemen, we thank 
you very much for coming amongst us, and we will endea¬ 
vour to do our best to render your visit as instructive and 
pleasant as possible. We have some ground to go over 
second to none in geological interest; in fact it is unique— 
unique in its treasure of the celebrated thirty-foot seam of 
coal, commonly called the thick coal; unique in its treasure 
of Silurian limestone, on the reefs of which the coal 
measures directly rest, without the usual intermediate old 
red sandstone rocks, unique as a happy hunting ground for 
geological students, unique inasmuch as in the limestone 
caverns a former president of the Dudley society—I refer 
to Sir Roderick Murchison—was crowned King of Siluria 
with much pomp and ceremony in 1839. In connection 
with this date, I may mention that on a recent occasion, 
being desirous of finding out the correct date of the corona¬ 
tion service, I asked the following simple question through 
the telephone :—“ On what date was Sir Roderick Murchison 
crowned in the caverns?” After some suspense, I was 
informed that thev were not aware on which dav Sir Roderick 
was drowned in the caverns. Sic transit gloria mundi! which 
mav be translated, “ How truly are mundane matters a nine 
days’ wonder.” It might be expected that you should hear 
from your chairman to-day something of the geology of the 
