140 
MIDLANI) union oU natural HISTOKY SOClETlLt? 
On Wednesday, June 13th, there will be two Excursions, viz.: one 
to Hartshill and the other to Lichfield and district. 
The Hartshill Excursion will leave for Polesworth Church and 
Nunnery, proceeding from here to the old Koman way called Watling 
Street, thence branching off to Merevale Abbey, across the Park 
(inspecting the newly-discovered Cambrian Rocks en route) to Bentley 
Common, where a short halt will be made; the party will then 
proceed through Bentley Wood to Oldbury Fort, the Tumulus, Castle, 
and Quartzite Quarries of Hartshill, Mancetter Church, and the old 
Roman Station of Manduesseduni. A Luncheon or Meat Tea will be 
provided at Atherstone, at 4.30, from which point the party will 
return home by the Watling Street to Tam worth. 
The Lichfield Excursion will proceed to Drayton Manor, the seat 
of Sir Robert Peel, Bart., who has granted permission for the Members 
of the Union to view the celebrated Picture Gallery and American 
Gardens, thence along the Watling Street in a north-westerly 
direction to the Tumuli at Hints and Offlow, and on to the Roman 
Station Etocetum ; leaving here, the party will proceed to Lichfield, 
traversing the Icknield Street fora short distance en route. On arrival 
at Lichfield the Members will be conducted over the Cathedral and 
other objects of interest in the town. The return journey will be by 
Barrow Cop Hill, Whittington Heath (one of the new Military Depot 
Centres), to Hopwas Wood, through which the party will walk, and 
BO home. 
Tamworth will be reached in the evening by each party before 
7 o’clock so as to catch the various trains. 
Both Excursions will start from the Castle Hotel at 9.30, and from 
Tamworth Railway Station Yard at 9.45 a.ni. on the morning of 
the 13th. 
The price of Tickets for each Excursion will be 10/-, including 
refreshments at one point during the day, and must be applied for 
not later than Friday, 8th June, to the local Honorary Secretary, 
Mr. William George Davy, Elford, Tamworth. 
A Note on Frogs. —On March 3rd last I observed a quantity of frog 
spawn in a pond, and at the same time some disgusting looking remains 
of frogs, chiefly legs, on some flattened rushes at a short distance from 
the bank. I have seen frogs fighting and squeezing each other. Is it 
known whether they are cannibals and eat each other ? A country¬ 
woman who lives near was of opinion the frogs were “ picked by the 
crows,” i.e. rooks, from a neighbouring rookery, but she had not 
actually seen them do so. The pond is frequented by waterhens, 
and it is possible that, being short of other food, they may have slain 
the frogs, leaving the legs, etc. Mr. Morris gives an instance of a 
waterhen killing and eating young pheasants all but the leg and wing 
bones. Perhaps some reader, learned in reptiles, may kuow more 
about the mattter. —A. E. J. 
