i8 
THE NATURALISTS’ JOURNAL. 
shorter, but this if anything was an advantage, for we should be 
able to make at once for the “ magnificient chain of ponds ” (as 
the exalted language of the programme had it) on Bookham 
Common, and so have time for more extensive researches into 
the natural history of the locality. 
Starting by the 9.25 train, it seemed but a short time ere we 
arrived at our destination, Effingham Junction, from whence 
we were to make our way to the above-mentioned ponds. Our 
genial and learned conductor, Mr. Edward Step, a typical Surrey 
naturalist, was awaiting us at the top of the flight of steps that 
led up from the station, and having exchanged greetings, we at 
once struck out for more rural scenes, which were close at hand. 
Keeping along a dry, parched and “lumpy ” roadway that ran 
alongside Effingham Common, we at length emerged into a 
more open and expansive region. ' The orange tip butterfly 
(. Anthocharis , or Euchloe cardamines) was frequent about the 
hedges here. The party stopped to examine a small patch of the 
not unhandsome plant knows as the “ needle whin ’’ (Genista 
anglica ), with its thorn-set stem and pretty yellow Papilionaceous 
flowers. This, said our conductor, was the plant which the 
Plantagenets (e.g., planta genista”) were in the habit of 
wearing in their head-gear as a distinguishing mark of their 
family. As we turned away from the historical plant a lapwing 
came flapping across the common, uttering its cry of “ peewit ” 
as it approached. 
Having gained the further side of the common, we proceeded 
to ascend a gentle upward path fringed by tall trees, and obtained 
a fair view of the surrounding country on gaining the top, 
which was open. The wood sorrel (Oxa/ts acetosella ) occurred 
about the grassy patches by the wayside ; it was a plant which 
our conductor had had great success with in his garden, though 
another of our members had failed in its cultivation. The 
pretty little blue speedwell was also a frequent plant. A tall 
lime tree near by had its trunk closely grown over with grey 
lichens, a sign as our leader reminded us, of the purity of the 
atmosphere. 
The route, as I have mentioned, was not the one that had 
been originally mapped out, so that at times we found ourselves 
in places that even our conductor knew not of. Having reached 
the top of the hill, we came to a halt to discuss the most likely 
direction to take, and finally descended among the trees on our 
left, soon reaching level ground. The little caterpillars of the 
green oak moth (Tortrix inridcind) were dropping in numbers 
by their slender lines, and swaying about in the breeze, and 
their silken cocoons constructed in the rolled up edges of the 
oak ka :es were of course plentiful. 
( To be continued.) 
FfP.P. 
