REPORTS OF MEETINGS 119
about a minute in the open before one eventually braved the traffic and
crossed the road, while the others had turned back and disappeared in the
woods.
The Chairman then concluded the meeting by thanking Mr. Pratt for
his leadership during the day, and members dispersed for the journey
homewards.
Mr. Broughton has sent details of two insects taken during the day.
One was the Lacewing, Boriomyia betulina (Stroem), often associated with
birch but in this case beaten from beech, the other the Stonefly, Nemoura
cinerea Retz., which is the common one of the Forest ponds.
Visit to Bishop's Hall and Abridge (948th Meeting)
SATURDAY, 24 MAY, 1952
About twenty members and friends assembled at 11 a.m. at the "Blue
Boar", Abridge, for this meeting. The weather had been warm and dry
for two weeks or more, and there was no sign that this fine spell would
break. Under the leadership of Miss Enid Jones, the party made its way
by devious route through meadow, field and woodland up the gentle southern
slope of the Boding Valley.
Picnic lunch was taken in a corner of the disused Abridge aerodrome,
and any spot which offered shade was quickly taken. After lunch the walk
was continued by more devious ways, passing Bishop's Moat, a small
stretch of water in a meadow where Libellula depressa was seen, and
thence to the Church of St. Mary and All Saints, Lambourne. The party
had only time to see and admire the fragments of the recently uncovered
wall painting of St. Christopher on the south wall of the nave (see Part 1,
p.82).
According to prearranged plans, the party arrived at Bishop's Hall at
3 p.m., where it was met by (Jol. Lockwood and conducted round his
extensive gardens. In the cool shade of the trees and with the springy turf
beneath their feet, members were able to enjoy a leisurely stroll while
admiring the rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolia and wistaria. The party
were also shown the interior of the Hall, and then, with thanks to Col.
and Mrs. Lockwood, the journey was continued direct to Abridge.
Members needed no further invitation when the "Come Eight Inn"
tea-room was reached, and after tea, with Mr. T. H. C. Bartrop in the
chair, a formal meeting was held.
Mr. T. F. A. Wiseman, B.A., of 1, Herbert Road, Seven Kings, was
elected to membership of the Club.
The Chairman then thanked Miss Jones for her detailed planning of the
route and for acting as leader.
Miss Male commented upon the botanical finds and drew attention to the
fact that very few plants indeed had been found in the fields, due no doubt
to the use of selective weed-killers. It had. however, been noticed that
the broken concrete emplacements and other buildings on the disused air-
field were giving rise to plants such as Traveller's Joy (Clematis Vitalba
L.).
Mrs. Harris commented upon the bird life noticed during the walk.
Mr. Howard comments as follows: "Of the one-hundred-and-one species
of flowering plants observed, the following were of especial interest:
Traveller's Joy (Clematis Vitalba L.), Narrow-leaved Vetch (Vicia
angustifolia (L.) Reichard), Penny Cress (Thlaspi arvense L.), Angelica
(Angelica sylvestris L.), Field Alkanet (Lycopsis arvensis L.) and Hop
(Humulus Lupulus L.).