MR. K ell's notes, ETC. . 321 



men, not only oi publishing the first observations on this inte- 

 resting subject, but also of determining the fact that these nests 

 belong to the Fifteen-spined Stickleback. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES IV. and V. 



Plate IV. 



Fig. 1. Side view of Gasterosteus aculeatus four or five days oM. 

 Fig 2. Back view of same. 



Plate V. 



Fig. I. The young of G. aculeatus about eighteen days old, shewing the 



fin rays in a state of development. 

 Fig, 2. The same a few days older, exhibiting the fin rays and spines 



considerably advanced. 



Xll.— Notes on the Fifth Field Meeting, held at Otterburn, on 

 the 2nd and 3rd September, 1852. By William Kell, Esq., 

 F.A.S. 

 The party availed themselves of the opportunity afforded by a 

 halt at Belsay Inn, while the horses were being fed, on the morn- 

 ing of the 2nd, to walk up to the old castle of Belsay, and after 

 having inspected the interior, and enjoyed the splendid panorama 

 from the battlements, the members were prepared to verify 

 Hodgson's description of the tower, as being " certainly one of 

 the most perfect, and by far the most imposing specimen of cas- 

 tellated architecture in Northumberland :'* and from the arms of 

 Middleton impaling those of Strivelin being over the uppermost 

 window of its south side, it is supposed that it was built by John 

 de Middleton and Christian his wife, in the time of Edward III. 

 In an adjacent garden, which the party visited, is a very fine 

 collection of Araucarias, and other plants of recent introduction 

 into England ; the collection includes some very fine trees of the 

 Araucaria excelsa and Araucaria imbricata ; of the latter, a 



