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CAPTURE OF BADGERS AT FOY.

In the beginning of February, 1884, Mr. G. Stock, of Carthage, succeeded in capturing alive a pair of very fine Badgers on the Underhill Farm, in the parish of Foy, near Ross. His attention was attracted by the large size of a burrow in one of the fields frequented by rabbits, and on looking at the hole closely he saw some dry grass, roots of trees, and other litter about the entrance. Knowing that badgers were about he at once concluded that he had found their home, and was quickly convinced that they were there by his fox-terrier. He sent for spades and a sack, and with the assistance of a man from the farm, he set to work to dig up the burrow, directed by the constant barking and efforts of the dog. After much labour, an exclamation, "Here he is; now for the bag!" was made, and the badger was induced with some little management, to enter it. The dog soon told them, to their surprise, that there was a second badger there. They had much more difficulty with this one, which was larger and more obstinate, but they succeeded, and both were turned loose into a paved stable. The entrance to this burrow measured eighteen inches in diameter; its greatest depth was six feet, and it gradually sloped upwards for a distance of eight yards until within two feet of the surface. The largest badger, when in the bag, was found to weigh 34 lbs. The badgers attracted much attention during the fortnight they occupied the stables. They were fed with lamb and potatoes (a very restricted diet for such an omnivorous animal) and had many visitors. The male was very shy and rude, refusing to exhibit himself, but the female was more amiable, and seemed as if she might easily be tamed. They were fine handsome animals, with the white markings on their heads clear and distinct. They were sent alive to a gentleman in Oxford. It is said that there are still many badgers in the Carey and Brockhampton woods, on the other side of the river Wye. Two Badgers have also been taken alive in the woods of Stoke Edith this spring.

The badgers of the Bach Camp could not be expected to exhibit themselves. The attention of the visitors was next called to a curious bronze circular bell, with a loose bullet inside to produce the vibration. This bell had been found a short time since at Stockton Court, and had been kindly brought for exhibition by Mr. Burgiss. It seemed to be an ox bell of a very uncommon and interesting form. There was also a basket of coarse Roman pottery, which was obtained from a neighbouring hill, and which from its character was probably manufactured on the spot.

It was time now to proceed, and under Mr. Hutchinson's guidance, the way was taken across the fields for the Upper Bach farm. Here was an example of an old Herefordshire square pigeon house, with four gables. It formed a cattle shed beneath, a hay loft in the middle, and a pigeon room above. A scramble through a thorny copse, and another short walk, brought the naturalists to Grantsfield. During the walk Myosotis versicolor, Trifolium filiforme, and Polygonatum multiflorum were gathered.

At Grantsfield the members met with a most kind and genial reception, and a whole day could well have been spent in examining the very fine collection of Lepidoptera and birds' eggs, both English and foreign. It had been intended to

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give some short list of the rarities and novelties contained in them, but the task was too appalling. They were so numerous, and so beautiful, that it was found quite impossible to do justice to such collections in so cursory a manner. daren't look at them," said one of the entomologists present, "for if I began I could not tear myself away."

One novelty, however, must be noticed, and that is the new mode of preparing the skin of caterpillars, for which Lord Walsingham is so noted, and some of them, indeed, were actually prepared by his lordship. The method followed is to drop the caterpillar into spirits of wine, and allow it to remain there a sufficient time to harden the skin. The insect is then taken out, and by careful manipulation in flannel, the inside is removed, when it is simply blown up by air with a fine blowpipe, the fingers holding it, giving the insect its natural shape at the same time. It quickly dries, and the result is that the caterpillar seems moving before one in its most natural life-like appearance.

In the neighbourhood of Grantsfield, it must be mentioned, two plants of considerable interest grow, but they are extremely local. One is the Bee Orchis, Ophrys Apifera, which was not this year to be found, the sheep very possibly having grazed off every spike, as sometimes happens. The other local plant is Convallaria Multiflora, Solomon's Seal. This is one of those old-fashioned plants, more often to be met with in gardens than found wild. It has been cultivated for the many virtues formerly attributed to it, but which are now perhaps so completely forgotten that it will be a novelty to remind people that it was believed to have the power of "knitting together, soddering, or sealing broken bones." Gerard, in his grand work, goes so far as to assert, that "the roote of Solomon's Seale stamped while it is greene and applied, taketh away in one night, or two at most, any bruise, blacke or blew spots, gotten by falls, or woman's wilfulness, in stumbling upon their hastie husbands' fists, or such like" (p. 758). Let us hope that the need for the remedy has grown as much out of fashion as the herb itself. At Grantsfield some very interesting stone implements had been sent for exhibition. 1. A neolithic axe-head of polished flint, six inches and three-quarters long, two inches and a quarter broad at the base, gradually tapering to nearly an inch; it was found on digging a drain on the Heath Farm at Leysters, and is a very fine specimen. 2. A stone ball, of about two inches and a quarter in diameter, rather irregularly round; it was found near a tumulus, supposed to be British, in a field near the church at Leysters; and 3 and 4 were arrow-heads of flint ploughed up there last year. They were all specimens of very great interest, and the neolithic axe is a remarkably fine one. It did not transpire to whom they belonged, or for what museum they may be destined, for such relics seem to demand public appreciation and care as Herefordshire specimens. They would be greatly treasured and well preserved in the glass cases of the museum at Hereford, if the liberty of making the suggestion at haphazard may be pardoned.

The attractions at Grantsfield had to be left, so with a parting look at the well-tended garden (there's a Rosa tomentosa there, with a stem considerably over a foot in circumference,) the way was taken for Berrington Ride and its noted plant Pyrola minor (the Lesser Winter Green it is called in English). It is very

frequent in Scotland and in the North, but is rare and local here. It was found growing freely in several clusters, and it was a great pleasure to see and to gather the elegant spikes of blossom rising from its pale green leaves. It is not unlike the Lily of the Valley in its inflorescence, but its flower stems are more upright, the individual blossoms more round, with a tint of the faintest possible rose colour, still more seen in the unopened buds. The family of Winter Greens, for there are several species of them, are often very abundant, and an oil is extracted from the plants, which is just now in great vogue for the manufacture of the great remedy for rheumatism-Salicylic Acid.

Another medical shrub grows in Berrington Ride, the Buckthorn, Rhamnus catharticus, a plant whose syrup is still in every-day use; Viburnum lantana, the wayfaring tree, or Wild Guelder Rose.

"Way-faring tree! what ancient claim
Hast thou to that right pleasant name;
Was it that some faint pilgrim came
Unhopedly to thee."

Its white blossoms in spring and the rich crimson hue its leaves acquire in autumn, render it a favourite in plantations. Fragaria elatior, and some very fine spikes nearly two feet long of the Butterfly Orchis, Habenaria chlorantha, were also gathered there.

ASHTON CAMP

was the next point of interest to be visited. It is situated in the open field immediately behind Ashton farmhouse, the home pasture which the geese delight in, for they had left plenty of feathers behind them. It is a quadrangular camp with rounded corners, some 96 paces across it. At the upper corner within it is a square platform 25 paces across, raised a few feet higher than the rest. The embankments have all been levelled, but are still clearly defined, and a few large trees are growing at intervals upon them. It is evidently Roman, not only from its shape and construction, but also because it occupies the gentle eminence which they were fond of choosing to suit their cavalry. It was probably an outpost to protect the Roman road which runs below, and possibly also was used as a signal station. At the distance of half a mile from it is the "Castle Tump," ominous in name, but equally with itself altogether beyond the pale of history.

The enthusiastic guide led on most of the members up the steep ridge of Brooches hill, a siliceous cornstone hill half a mile further on, in search of the camp, and the extra walk and fine views they met with, made a quiet rest at the Ashton Farm, and a glass of cider, which was given with much kindness and courtesy, very acceptable.

Berrington Hall, the seat of Lord Rodney, was next visited. It is over a hundred years now since the brave and gallant Admiral Rodney won that grand victory for his country, and introduced the new system of naval warfare called "breaking the line." On April 12th, 1782, he met the French fleet, when about to attack Jamaica. With his own ship he dashed through the enemy's line, and

by his activity and good seamanship, he surrounded half the French fleet, sunk one ship, blew up three, and captured four. The French admiral, Count de Grasse, was taken prisoner and sent to England. This victory was a critical one. It saved Jamaica, rejoiced the heart of his country, and deservedly won for him a barony, £2,000 a year pension, and a monument in St. Paul's.

If time and space permitted, it would be a pleasure to tell how in 1759 Admiral Rodney destroyed the boats and stores prepared at Hâvre for the invasion of England; how in 1780 he defeated the Spanish fleet off Cape St. Vincent, destroying four of their ships, taking four, and allowing only four to escape, whilst the Admiral Don Langara was also taken prisoner and sent to England; and how he did many another brave and gallant action: but it may not be. The pictures of

the Admiral himself and his battles must be passed by, and all other pictures and objects of vertu there, and so too, must the two fine stuffed black bears which guard the inner door of the hall, or the skins and heads of the many deer, bison, and other animals that have fallen to the power of his successors-for local matters only must be dwelt upon by Woolhope men on excursions. The fine female white-tailed eagle, Haliaëtus albicilla, which was captured in the park seven or eight years ago, is quite within the scope of the Club. This magnificent bird was observed in the park for some days and was at length trapped. It is now well set up by Shaw, of Shrewsbury, in a glass case in the hall, and stands over three feet in height. In the hall too is another old Herefordshire memento, in the shape of a flag all green and gold, "Stretford, Cyder free from tax," the flag which was used doubtless in the general rejoicings through the county that took place when Mr. Velters Cornewall had succeeded in getting that tax taken off, and thus made himself so popular.

The four handsome long ten pounders on the lawn, highly ornamented Spanish guns, bearing on them the dates of 1754-5 and 1756 (2), were passed by and the way taken by the pine grove to the large pools. The park is very well undulated, has many fine trees about, and is very picturesque, but all the eyes of the botanists were quickly centred on the water plants on the pool, which were only too abundant. There was a fine patch of the white water lily, Nymphæa alba, in the full perfection of early bloom. Like the sacred lotos of the Nile, the flowers of the white water lily arise and expand as the sun gains ascendency, close towards evening, and thus remain through the night reclining on the bosom of the water, or actually sink beneath its surface, till revived by the return of day, when again "The water lily to the light

Her chalice rears of silver bright."

SCOTT.

And many pretty poetical fancies are built on this habit of the plant. The other plants noticed were Myriophyllum spicatum, Ranunculus circinatus, Polygonum amphibium, Alisma Plantago, Potamogeton crispus and natans, Arundo phragmitis and Typha angustifolia. Newman in his work on British ferns mentions Berrington Pool as a habitat of Lastrea Thelypteris, but this marsh fern was not observed, nor was there time to make any search for it.

The Heronry on the island created great interest, and some half-dozen of the

first to arrive at the boat-house had the privilege of landing there to look up at them. The keeper states that he counted 40 birds on their return this spring after the two or three months' absence, which they make every winter; and 28 of them have been seen fishing at the same time. The nests are built on the top of some very tall firs and beech trees. There were three upon one Scotch fir, but it was not possible to count the number of nests from the abundance of the foliage beneath. It is thought there are from 14 to 20 nests there. The only other heronry in Herefordshire at this time, so far as is known, is one of three nests in the horseshoe bend of the Wye near Letton Court. It was pleasant to hear that Lord Rodney has given special instructions for their preservation.

Mr. James W. Lloyd brought a box of very interesting Herefordshire birds' eggs. Two eggs of the Curlew, Numenius arquata, which were taken on the 12th of May from a nest of four eggs on Bradnor hill, within a mile and a half of the town of Kington. A nest of young curlews were hatched out last year on the same spot. Four eggs of the common Snipe Gallinago cœlestis, were also shown which were taken from two nests near Kington by Mr. J. W. Lloyd, on April 18th, within a hundred yards of each other. Two Cuckoos' eggs, Cuculus canorus, were also in the box, taken successively from the same robin's nest on the 18th and 20th of May. And lastly, three eggs of the Hawfinch, Coccothraustes vulgaris, taken on June 8th from a nest in an apple tree.

Mr. J. B. Pilley also brought very fine specimens of a butterfly from Borneo, Ornithropera Brookiana. Each wing was three inches and three-quarters in length, and had a succession of metallic markings in green, the size of the ordinary feathers of a bird.

The dinner took place at the Royal Oak Hotel, Leominster, and after dinner a very excellent practical paper was read by the Rev. Augustin Ley on “The Recent Additions to the Moss Flora of Herefordshire;" and this was followed by the completion of the paper on "The Birds of Herefordshire," which had been partly read at the Bach Camp in the morning. Thus ended a very enjoyable day.

The gentlemen who attended the meeting were the Rev. Charles Burrough (President), George H. Piper, F.G.S., J. Griffith Morris, the Revs. Wm. Bowell, E. R. Firmstone, Edward Hewitt, Thos. Hutchinson, W. R. Jenkins, Augustin Ley, H. B. D. Marshall, R. J. Palmer, Stanley Pelly, H. W. Phillott, Wm. P. Stanhope, J. R. G. Taylor, J. Tedman, T. W. Trumper, and R. H. Williams, Drs. Bull, Chapman, and J. H. Wood, Major Doughty, Captain du Boulay, R.E., Messrs. P. Renel Atkinson, F. Bainbridge, H. Barker, R. A. Billiald, J. Du Buisson, T. D. Burlton, D. R. Chapman, Robert Clarke, H. Gortneck, J. Greaves, W. H. Harrison, W. Hebb, J. Hewitt, T. Hutchinson, Lacon Lambe, Jas. W. Lloyd, J. Lloyd, J. Maynard, H. C. Moore, J. B. Pilley, A. J. Purchas, O. Shellard, J. H. Southall, and T. Lane.

The following gentlemen were elected members at the meeting:-Rev. G. E. Ashley, Messrs. R. A. Billiald, A. A. Hancocks, and Rev. J. W. Lee, and two others were proposed.

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