We glanced in passing at some few features which could scarcely fail to attract the attention of the tourist, and a brief notice only of others will be needed for the geologist. In ascending the river we descend, geologically speaking, from an upper to a lower series of rocks, which rocks, in many instances, are covered over by fluviatile and marine deposits of sand and gravel, containing shells of fish inhabiting our modern seas. These show how recently the sea must have retired from a surface so covered with its remains; whilst their position low down in the valley, and but a little way above the present bed of the Severn, proves how much more recently the arm of the sea, known as the Severn Sraits, must have been succeeded by the river. The best places for collecting these remains along the railway will be found to be in embankments and cuttings near Buildwas and Coalbrookdale, the latter having yielded as many as twenty-two distinct species. In cuttings along the railway, and in their immediate vicinity, will also be found sections of rocks, from the variegated marls of the New Red Sandstone, of the Mesozoic, to the silurians, of the PalÆozoic, or Primary Formations. The coal measures of Coalbrookdale, with their alternating beds of coal, clay, and iron ore, are rich in specimens of the fauna and flora of the carboniferous age; the best places for discovering them being the spoil banks of the mines, where shale, and ironstone nodules, will be found the most productive. One of the richest beds yielding fossils is the Penneystone, which may be seen on the surface near Coalbrookdale and Ketley; remains of the Megalicthys, Gyracanthus, and Holoptychus being occasionally found there, whilst Conularias, Nautili, Spirifers aviculus, Bellerophons, and others are numerous. The sand rock overlying it contains Calamites, Lepidodendrons, Ulodendrons, Sigillarias, &c., &c. Benthall Edge and Lincoln Hill yield characteristic fossils of the Wenlock limestone and Wenlock shales in great numbers and variety, corals being most abundant. Between the Severn and the Acton Burnell hills fossils of the Caradoc may be found in drift, in old walls by the wayside, and in strata dipping praidly beneath the Wenlock shales.

BOTANY OF THE DISTRICT.

In shallow portions of the Severn, we have several varieties of the River Crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans), which, with their long slender stems and pure white blossoms, form a conspicuous feature; also the Canadian Water-weed (Anacharis alsinastrum), which has found its way as high up as Shrewsbury. In marshy flats bordering on the river, are found the Yellow Flag (Iris pseud-acorus), the Water-dock, (Rumex Hydrolapathum), the Water Drop-wort, Soap-wort, Frog-bit-water-lily, and the creeping Yellow Cress; whilst the little Lily of the Valley, the Giant Bell-flower, the Spreading Bell-flower, the rare Reed Fescue-grass, and the tall, handsome Fox-glove, which,

“On fair Flora’s hand is worn,”

adorn the woods along the slopes.

Other plants are found as follows:—

Ranunculus parviflorus (Small-flowered Crowfoot) . . . Stagborough.

Cardamine impatiens (Narrow-leaved Bittercress) . . . Stagborough.

Poterium sanguisorba . . . Stagborough.

Campanula latifolia . . . Owton and Stagborough.

Campanula patula . . . Owton and Stagborough.

Vinca minor (Lesser Periwinkle) . . . Arley Wood and Stagborough.

Heleborus foetidus (Stinking Hellebore) . . . Farlow.

Geranium phseum (Dusky Crane’s-bill) . . . Farlow.

Rhamnus catharticus (Common Buckthorn) . . . Farlow.

Prunus padus (Bird Cherry) . . . Farlow.

Geum rivale . . . Farlow.

Artemisia Absinthium (Common Wormwood) . . . Farlow.

Artemisia campestris . . . Farlow.

Habenaria viridis . . . Farlow.

LathrÆa squamaria . . . Ribbesford Wood.

Orobanche minor . . . Ribbesford Wood.

Mentha piperita (Peppermint) . . . Near Horshill, Ribbesford.

Thymus serpyllum and T. glandulosus . . . Near Horshill, Ribbesford.

Calamintha Nepeta and officinalis . . . About Ribbesford.

Daphne Laureola (Spurge Laurel) . . . About Ribbesford.

Fagus sylvatioa (Common Beech) . . . About Ribbesford.

Paris quadrifolia . . . About Ribbesford.

Cardamine amara (Bitter Ladies’ Smock) . . . Blackstone.

Cerastium arvense (Field Chick-weed) . . . Blackstone.

Hypericum montanum (Mountain St. John’s-wort) . . . Blackstone.

Sedum dasyphyllum . . . Blackstone.

Viola canina (Dog’s Violet) . . . Hartlebury Common.

Radiola millegrana (Thyme-leaved Flax-seed) . . . Hartlebury Common.

Comarum palustre (Purple Marsh Cinquefoil) . . . Hartlebury Common.

Menyanthes trifoliata (Buck-bean) . . . Hartlebury Common.

Chenopodium ficifolium . . . About Bewdley.

Chenopodium polyspermum . . . About Bewdley.

Chenopodium urbicum . . . About Bewdley.

Chenopodium Bonus Henricus . . . About Bewdley.

Rumex sanguineus . . . About Bewdley.

Bryonia dioica . . . About Bewdley. (In hedges.)

Anacharis alsinastrum . . . In the Severn, near Bewdley.

Habenaria viridis . . . About Bewdley.

Spiranthes autumnalis . . . About Bewdley.

Cephalanthera ensifolia . . . About Bewdley.

Tulipa sylvestris (Wild Tulip) . . . About Bewdley.

Ornithogalum umbellatum (Star of Bethlehem) . . . About Bewdley.

Hieracium vulgatum . . . Bewdley and Broseley.

Papaver Argemone (Prickly-headed Poppy) . . . Corn-fields, near Bewdley.

Turritis glabra (Tower Mustard) . . . Near Bewdley.

Sisymbrium Sophia (Flax weed) . . . Near Bewdley.

Hypericum Androsoemum (St. John’s-wort) . . . Woods around Bewdley.

Vicia sylvatica (Wood Vetch) . . . Woods about Bewdley.

Prunus Cerasus (Wild Cherry) . . . About Bewdley and Norton Prescot.

Potentilla argentea (Hairy Cinquefoil) . . . About Bewdley.

Epilobium angustifolium . . . Near Bewdley.

Myrrhis odorata . . . Between Brosely and Ironbridge.

Artemisia Absinthium (Common Wormwood) . . . About Bewdley.

Doronicum Pardalianches . . . About Bewdley.

Hieracium umbellatum . . . About Bewdley.

Campanula latifolia . . . Ditto, and Coalport Dingle.

Nepeta Cataria (Cat Mint) . . . . Fields about Bewdley and Stourport.

Leonurus Cardiaca (Mother-wort) . . . Occasionally found about Bewdley.

Thalictrum flavum (Meadow Rue) . . . Banks of Severn.

Nasturtium sylvestre (Creeping Nasturtium) . . . Banks of Severn.

Sinapis nigra (Common Mustard) . . . Banks of Severn.

Saponaria officinalis . . . Banks of Severn.

Malachium aquaticum (Water Chick-weed) . . . Banks of Severn.

Geranium pratense (Blue Crane’s Bill) . . . Banks of Severn.

Astragalus glyciphyllus (Sweet Milk Vetch) . . . Banks of Severn about Linkham.

Œnanthe crocata (Hemlock Water Drop-wort) . . . Banks of Severn.

Inula Helenium meinlen (Elecampane) . . . Near the Severn, below Quatford Low, near Clee Hills.

Campanula latifolia . . . Banks of Severn.

Lysimachia vulgaris (Yellow Loose Strife) . . . Banks of Severn.

Scirpus sylvaticus . . . Banks of Severn.

Juniperus communis (Common Juniper) . . . Wyre Forest, near Furnaw Mill.

Gymnadenia conopsea . . . Wyre Forest.

Habenaria bifolia (Small Butterfly Orchis) . . . Wyre Forest.

Habenaria chlorantha (Yellow Butterfly Habenaria) . . . Wyre Forest.

Neottia Nidus-avis (Common Bird’s Nest) . . . Wyre Forest.

Epipactis latifolia . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Epipactis palustris . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Cephalanthera ensefolia . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest. (Abundant.)

Convallaria magalis . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Narthecium ossifragum (Bog Ashphodel) . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Luzula sylvatica (Great Hairy Woodrush) . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest. (Abundant.)

L. pilosa (Broad-leaved Wood-rush) . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Triglochin palustre (Marsh Arrow-grass) . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Eriophorum angustifolium (Cotton-grass) . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Eriophorum latifolium . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

Carex muricata, C. vulpina, C. teretiuscula . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

C. ovalis, C. pendula, C. pilulifera . . . In plantations at Willey, and in Wyre Forest.

C. fulva . . . Wyre Forest.

Melica nutans and uniflora . . . Wyre Forest.

Equisetum sylvaticum and E. hyemale . . . Wyre Forest.

Lycopodium clavatum and L. inundatum . . . Wyre Forest.

Thalictrum minus . . . Wyre Forest.

Aquilegia vulgaris (Common Columbine) . . . Wyre Forest.

Rhamnus catharticus and R. Frangula . . . Wyre Forest and Farlow.

Sanguisorba officinalis (Great Burnet) . . . Wyre Forest.

Rubus saxatilis, and most of the other species of Rubi . . . Wyre Forest.

Rosa spinosissima (Burnet-leaved Rose) . . . Wyre Forest and Weldon.

R. villosa and R. tomentosa . . . Wyre Forest.

Pyrus Malus, P. Aria and P. aucuparia, and P. torminalis . . . Wyre Forest.

Epilobium angustifolium (Rose bay Willow) . . . Wyre Forest.

Gnaphalium sylvaticum (Highland Cudweed) . . . Wyre Forest.

Serratula tinctoria (Saw-wort) . . . Wyre Forest.

Hieracium murorum . . . Wyre Forest.

Pyrola minor, and P. media . . . Wyre Forest.

Gentiana Amarella (Autumnal Gentian) . . . Wyre Forest.

Lithospermum officinale (Grey Millet) . . . Wyre Forest.

Pedicularis palustris (Marsh Louse-wort) . . . Wyre Forest.

Scutellaria minor and galericulata . . . Wyre Forest.

Anagallis tenella (Bog Pimpernel) . . . Wyre Forest.

Daphne Laureola . . . Wyre Forest.

Populus tremula (Aspen) . . . Abundant over the Forest.

Fagus sylvatica (Common Beech) . . . Abundant over the Forest.

Quercus Robur and Q. intermedia. (Two very distinct species, Q. intermedia occupies almost exclusively the whole of Wyre forest.) . . . Abundant over the Forest.

Polemonium cÆruleum (Jacob’s Ladder) . . . Bridgnorth.

Campanula patula, or spreading bell flower . . . Bridgnorth and near Berrington.

Sambucus Ebulus (Dwarf Elder) . . . Bridgnorth.

LathrÆa squammaria (Greater Tooth-wort) . . . Bridgnorth.

Camelina sativa (Common Gold of Pleasure) . . . Bridgnorth.

Vicia sylvatica (Wood Vetch) . . . Bridgnorth.

Astragalus glycpyhyllus . . . Bridgnorth.

Parietaria officinalis . . . Bridgnorth.

Lactuca virosa (Strong-scented Lettuce) . . . Bridgnorth.

Scirpus sylvaticus . . . Bridgnorth.

Erigeron acris (Blue Fleabane) . . . Bridgnorth.

Adonis autumnalis (Pheasant’s Eye) . . . Coalport.

Monotropa Hypopitys (Yellow Bird’s nest) . . . Coalport.

Ligustrum vulgare (Privet) . . . Benthall Edge.

Erigeron acris . . . Benthall Edge.

Bee Orchis (Ophrys apifera) . . . Benthall Edge.

Pinguicula vulgaris (Common Butter-wort) . . . Wrekin.

Vaccinium myrtillus (Bilberry) . . . Wrekin.

Danthonia decumbens . . . Wrekin.

Eriophorum angustifolium . . . Wrekin.

Isolepis setacea (Bristle-stalked Moor-rush) . . . Wrekin.

Myosotis collina (Early Field Scorpion grass) . . . Wrekin.

Polypodium dryopteris . . . Wrekin.

Amongst the ferns of the district may be mentioned—the Royal fern (Osmunda regalis), which has been found sparingly at Shirlett, in Willey Park, and in Dairley Dingle; the beautiful Beech fern (Polypodium Phegopteris), which grows in the greatest luxuriance in Dairley Dingle, also in a wood in Willey Park; and the Hay fern (Lastrea fÆnisecii), in Coalbrookdale, and upon Shirlett. Also several other commoner species, as Lastrea Oreopteris, Lastrea spinosa, Lastrea dilatata, and its variety glandulosa, Lastrea filix mas, and its variety Borreri; Aspidium aculeatum, and Aspidium augulare.

In giving the above list, I willingly acknowledge the assistance of my friends, Messrs. Baugh, Jordin, and Maw.