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MIDLAND UNION OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETIES. 
how great a pleasure it would give to the elder children of our public 
schools if they, too, could have an opportunity of seeing some of the 
secrets of Nature, so well revealed ! If the Society could see their 
way to do any such work—and they might well ask the town to help 
them—it would be sowing seed whose produce could hardly be over¬ 
estimated. 
EXCURSION TO THE LICKEY HILLS. 
The members who had chosen the excursion to the Lickey Hills 
left Snow Hill Station by the 10 a.m. train, and were joined at Old 
Hill by a contingent from Stourbridge. Mr. W. J. Harrison, F.G.S., 
acted as leader, and the party included the Rev. A. Watson, 
J. Grayston, F.G.S. (Tamworth), J. W. Bodger (Peterborough), Rev. 
G. St. Clair (Birmingham), Messrs. Marten, Worthington, Madeley, 
Perry, &c. (Stourbridge), Rev. J. H. Thompson (Cradley), being 
altogether about twenty in number. On getting out at Rubery Station, 
the fine section of quartzite, crossed by a well-marked fault, which is 
exposed in the railway cutting, was first examined. Walking south¬ 
wards, the junction of the Llandovery sandstone with the quartzite 
(which is of either Cambrian or Pre-Cambrian age) in the road-cutting 
nearly opposite the asylum gates was next studied. The sandstone is 
crowded with casts of Pentamerus, &c., but the quartzite is quite 
unfossiliferous. The brook section in the asylum grounds came next, 
where the Silurian shales and limestones—resting on the Llandovery— 
are fairly well exposed. From this point the walk extended along the 
ridge to Rednal, many fine sections being seen on the way ; south of 
Rednal the quartzite is fairly contorted, being here close to the line of 
fault which runs along the eastern side of the ridge. At Kendal End 
the patch of Silurian limestone—long since noted by Murchison—was 
found, and in the hollow where it lies some good plants delighted the 
botanists. Nearer to Barnt Green the party walked through the 
beautiful grounds of Barnt Green House (by kind permission of 
W. A. Thompson, Esq.), and found the Pre-Cambrian strata (volcanic 
rocks which underlie the quartzite) exposed along the brook course. 
At this point the party divided, some returning to Stourbridge, while 
the emainder took the Midland train from Barnt Green to 
Birmingham. The weather was excellent for walking—fine, but not 
sunny—and the day proved a very enjoyable one. 
EXCURSION TO COVENTRY AND KENILWORTH. 
An agreeable party of thirty-four, under the guidance of Mr. J. 
Levick, travelled in a carriage reserved for them by the L. & N.-W. 
Rv. Co., from New Street to Coventry, reaching the latter place soon 
after ten o’clock. Here they were met by Mr. W. G. Fretton, F.S.A., 
who conducted the party over this interesting city, and whose life-long 
study of the Archaeology of England rendered him eminently qualified 
for this position. The party visited the site of the Cheylesmore 
Manor House; Grey Friars Spire, now attached to Christ Church, all 
that remains of the Franciscan Monastery; Ford’s Hospital, the 
magnificent timber work of which was much admired ; St. Michael’s 
Church, with its lofty and graceful steeple, built of red sandstone, 
and upon which the touches of “ Old Father Time ” are only too 
clearly seen in the crumbling of the outer casing of this graceful 
fabric. St. Mary’s Hall was a place of much interest to the party, 
with its tapestry, pictures, armour, and collection of ancient MSS. 
They then visited Holy Trinity Church, remains of the Benedictine 
