4:8 rilESIDENX's ADDRESS. 



ADDRESS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE TYNESIDE 

 NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, 



READ, AT THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY MEETING, HELD ON THURSDAY, 

 THE 15th may, 1856. BY ROWLAND BURDON, ESQ., PRESIDENT. 



Gentlemen — I have to express my sincere regret at my un- 

 avoidable absence from the meetings of the Society which has 

 conferred on me the honourable position, entailing the present 

 duty of recording its proceedings for the past year. 



The successful action of the Society must of itself have a 

 constant tendency to exhaust the topics for description, and 

 render new discoveries rare and difficult ; and thus, although 

 excursions will continue as gratifying as ever, and though the 

 study of nature is inexhaustible, presidential addresses and 

 notes of members will probably become 



"Small by degrees, and beautifully less." 



In this instance, the notes handed to me for incorporation in 

 this address are not ample as to some of the meetings, owing 

 partly to the weather ; and I regret that my own absence does not 

 enable me to supply the deficiency. My consciousness of not 

 possessing either the special or general knowledge which would 

 enable me to communicate any matter of scientific interest, 

 caused me to ask the advice of a member, who, desirous to 

 oblige an unworthy President, suggested that I might address you 

 on the subject of Reformatory Schools. With every respect for 

 the opinion of my counsellor, to whom I believe the Society is 

 deeply indebted, and although I feel great interest in the subject, 

 I cannot recognise any peculiar relation between it and and this 

 Society. There is, however, one reform — one species of theft 

 with which the Society is concerned, and on which I may be 

 permitted to say a few words — I allude to the stealing of plants, 

 about which I can speak feelingly, as Castle Eden Dene is peculi- 

 arly subject to depredations of this sort. Persons really fond of 

 the science of Botany are not likely to be guilty of it, and this 

 Society has an express rule against it ; yet I must say that rules 



