THE FLOOD OF NOVEMBER

11TH, 1895, AND

NOVEMBER 15TH, 1894.

A flood occurred at Hereford within four days of the anniversary of last year's great flood. Following a severe gale and heavy rains the guage fixed to Wye Bridge which on Sunday at midnight registered 4 feet of flood, registered as much as 12 feet on Monday at 7.30 a.m. This was a very rapid rise. The water continued to rise steadily all day until at 11 p.m. on Monday, 11th, according to information received from the boatman, Harry Jordan, it reached its maximum of 14 feet 9 inches. The water entered the cellars of several houses in St. Martin Street, and great anxiety was experienced during the night. It only required a few inore inches rise to have flooded St. Martin Street.

Although the river Lugg did not overflow to any great extent yet the road from Hereford to Mordiford was considerably under water.

In a letter received from Mr. G. G. Clarke, resident Surgeon at The Hospital in Elan village, Rhayader, the river Elan rose 4 feet on Sunday, 10th, and on Wednesday, 13th, had subsided to 18 inches above ordinary level.

THE FLOOD OF NOVEMBER 15TH, 1894, was unrecorded in Transactions. At 6 a.m. the gauge on the Wye Bridge registered 16 feet 9 inches. The City Surveyor reported that it was a higher flood than had been known in the Wye for fourteen years. Six footbridges on the riverside between the Friars and the Rifle Butts were washed away. When the flood was at its maximum the Canon Moor brook was discharging, according to the City Surveyor, nearly 100 cubic feet per second. Owing to the enlargement and proper grading of this brook, and clearing out of the Tanbrook, four years ago, the localities of Newtown Road, Millbrook Street, Edgar Street, and the railway line at Barton, were not flooded as formerly they were wont to be.

Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club.

ANNUAL MEETING, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH, 1895.

Ar the Annual Meeting there was a large attendance. On the proposition of Mr. James Rankin, M.P., seconded by Rev. Prebendary W. Poole, Mr. H. Cecil Moore was elected President for 1896. Mr. Thomas Hutchinson was appointed joint Secretary. The name of Rev. Morgan G. Watkins was added to the Editorial Committee, and the Committee of Management for 1896 was elected.

BOTANY.

Mr. Moore exhibited a dried specimen of Jerusalem artichoke, Helianthus tuberosus, which had been gathered in full blossom about a fortnight ago. The Jerusalem artichoke seldom blossoms in Great Britain, and only after prolonged periods of hot sunshine. It flowered in the phenomenal year of drought 1893, in the Jubilee year 1887, a few specimens flowered in 1885, and Mr. Vevers recalls to mind having seen it in blossom about forty years ago.

It was resolved that the Record of plants collected by Rev. Augustin Ley, additional to those published in the The Flora of 1889, should be published as a supplementary list in the volume of Transactions now in course of publication for the year 1894.

GEOLOGY.

A fine fossil, 9 inches in diameter and 3 inches in thickness, Lituites giganteus, a cephalopod mollusc of the Lower Ludlow formation of the Silurian system, recently presented to the Museum by the Rev. A. J. Capel, was exhibited. It was found in an extensive bed of gravel four feet below the surface soil, whilst digging the cellars and foundation of Mr. Merrick's house on Aylestone Hill. It is supposed that it must have been conveyed to this locality in ancient times in a drift from the neighbourhood of Woolhope. This unexpected discovery should stimulate members to closer observation in gravel pits, in railway cuttings, &c. It is many years since the Committee on erratic blocks, one of the oldest of the British Association Committees, received any reports from Herefordshire on this subject of surpassing interest to the glacial geologist. A reawakening of interest in this county would be welcomed. Again it is necessary to call the attention of members to the fact that the fossils of the

Woolhope limestone are but poorly represented in the Museum. Mr. Langton Brown has succeeded in adding a few, obtained, we believe, from the quarries of Scutterdine and Littlehope, near Mordiford.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. It is hoped that the members of the Woolhope Club will continue active in the prosecution of useful scientific work, to justify their existence as one of the Societies in the Union. At the last meeting of Delegates of Societies, reference was made to the importance of securing suitable geological photographs, and setting down facial types and folklore. With reference to the ethnographical survey of the United Kingdom, members who are disposed to contribute from the county of Hereford should apply to the Honorary Secretary of the Woolhope Club, who will supply forms of schedule prepared by a Committee of the British Association.

ORNITHOLOGY.

Mr. C. G. Blathwayt has written to report that during the month of August his sons had several times seen three Hobbies (Falco subbuteo), in a wood in the neighbourhood of Bromyard.

A pair of Honey Buzzards, exquisitely set up by Mr. Ashdown, exhibited attacking a wasp's nest, were recently on view at his premises in Commercial Road. They were shot on Captain McCalmont's estate at Bishopswood, and have now been returned to Mr. H. Brain, their owner.

Mr. Ashdown exhibited a Brent Goose, shot near Peterchurch, and a Pomatorhine Skua from Radnorshire just over the borders of Herefordshire.

Ornithology in Herefordshire from 1889 to 1893 is given on pages 381 to 386 of Transactions, 1892. Ornithology in 1894 is given on page 258 of Transactions, 1894.

ORNITHOLOGY IN

HEREFORDSHIRE.

From January to December, 1895.

By W. C. ASHDOWN, F.Z.S.

NOT a year passes by without the occurrence of many uncommon species of British birds, either visiting the county on migration, or driven hither by storms and gales. The rarer birds of the year comprise :

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus).-A fine female killed in the act of striking a pigeon, on a meadow adjoining Llanwarne Court, January 12th; this is in the possession of Mrs. Maddox of that place.

Tufted Duck (Fuligula cristata).--On the 16th of January, the President, Rev. M. G. Watkins, brought in to me a specimen which awakened some curiosity, owing to its very close resemblance to F. Nyroca; the example is a very interesting one owing to its immature plumage; it has been generously presented to the local Museum.

Smew (Mergus albellus).—Mr. William Blake, of Ross, forwarded me a perfect adult female killed on the Weir; this is now in his private collection.

Curlew (Numenius arquata).--This bird still frequents the Black Mountain district, Mrs. Trafford, of Michaelchurch, sending in a clearly marked specimen killed in the locality on the 18th January. Others have been observed.

Merlin (Falco æsalon).-A female was taken in the hard weather, January 19th, by Mr. Spencer, at Clehonger.

Golden-eye (Clangula glaucion).—An adult male was shot by Lieut. James-Trevor on the Wye, and was brought to me for identification on the 4th February.

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps griseigena).-Mr. William Blake, Ross, sent in a very good example, shot near Ross on the 7th February. This is, I believe, the first record of the appearance of this scarce bird within the county boundary; of course having the winter dress, the rufous colouring of the neck was supplanted by a greyish tint, but the yellow iris and general structure differ from that of P. cristatus, the Great Crested Grebe; this bird is in Mr. Blake's collection.

Sclavonian Grebe (Podiceps auritus).—Mr. Sanders, Street Court, Kingsland, shot a male bird on the 14th February, and sent it to me for preservation. As far as I can ascertain this is the only authentic record of the occurrence of this species in the county. Dr. Bull has mentioned that one was taken in 1849, but we have no details respecting it.

Little Grebe (Podiceps fluviatilis).—An example was picked up dead by the same gentleman who shot the preceding bird; it was choked by a bullhead. The remarkable feature in this specimen was the summer plumage so remarkably early in the year. I have set it up for the local Museum, Mr. Sanders having kindly presented it.

Tufted Duck (Fuligula cristata).—A male, with very long crest, was obtained by Mr. Blake, killed near Ross on the 15th February.

The month of February was a deadly one, in every sense, for great numbers of our resident orchard birds, the Green Woodpecker (Picus viridis) dropped from complete starvation on every side; numbers were brought to me either killed after this manner or shot by the bee-keepers and others in the district.

Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra).-Two males were sent in from Pontrilas on 6th April, by Mrs. Donegan, Grosmont.

Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus).-A pair of these birds was shot on Capt. Mc'Calmont's Bishopswood estate, near Ross, on 10th July, and sent to me by Mr. Howard Brain. Needless to say the birds would have been protected had it been known what useful and valuable birds they were A nest was afterwards discovered in the neighbourhood containing two eggs, both of which, strange to say, were unfertile. I dissected and set up these specimens under the greatest difficulty, considering the mass of wasp larvæ in the throat and gullet, added to the prevailing heat of the day. A ridge of wax matter lay on the under mandible of the male.-Mr. W. E. de Winton, M.B.O.U., who has described this handsome pair of Buzzards in the Zoologist, has called my attention to one error, respecting the cere, which was really a faint brownish yellow.

As some five or six of this scarce species were taken in the county several years ago, it is only reasonable to believe that Herefordshire is peculiarly adapted to its habits and wants. A male presented some years ago to the Public Museum by Mr. H. C. Moffatt, of Goodrich, who had it set up, suffered considerably from the depredations of moth; it has been rescued and renovated for the collection. Green Sandpiper (Totanus ochropus).-A male was shot by Mr. J. Wyndham Smith, near Ross, on the 1st August.

Brent Goose (Bernicla brenta).-Mr. T. P. Powell, jun., Dorstone, forwarded a specimen shot in the locality on the 7th October. It is recorded that one was obtained near Ross in 1882, but no particulars are given.

Dun'in (Tringa alpina).-On the 5th November, Mr. Sanders sent me a good specimen shot at Eardisland, doubtless swept inland by a storm.

During the autumn several immature specimens of the Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgaris) came in from different parts of the county; they have undoubtedly been hatched here. I am glad to say that the owl killing practice is still on the decline, an evidence that the landowners and farmers are wise in prohibiting the slaughter of these useful birds. Beyond the county boundary the very rare Gadwall Duck (Anas strepera), a female, was shot by Mr. A. Crawshay at Talybont, on the 5th February. A Pomatorhine Skua (Stercorarius pomatorhinus) was picked up dead near Builth in October, and sent in by Mr. Gwynne Vaughan. This was an immature example.