PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 55 



to Alnwick^ in tlie evening, after a day spent amid delightful 

 scenery, fraught with most interesting historical associations. 



Nine new members were elected. 



The Fourth Field Meeting was to have been held at Wal- 

 lington, on the 8th of August^ but did not take place from the 

 unpropitious state of the weather. 



The Fifth Meeting was held at Prestwick Car, on the 4 th of 

 September. Only five members were present. Mr. Bold pro- 

 cured several fine specimens of water beetles ; but nothing new 

 was noticed by the Botanists. 



One member was elected. 



The Sixth Meeting was held at Hartley Burn, near Lambley, 

 on the 2nd of October. The following account is from the notes 

 of Mr. John Thompson. The party, consisting of only four, went 

 from Haltwhistle by the Alston Branch of the Railway to Lamb- 

 ley, which is an interesting locality for the Geologist. It pre- 

 sented an unexpected scene of great activity in coal pits and 

 steam engines. The collieries stretch westward from Lambley, 

 and lie on the north side of the great dyke which crosses North- 

 umberland from the East Coast to Newbiggin on the border of 

 Cumberland, and is known in the East by the name of the Ninety 

 Fathom Dyke, but in the West by that of Stublick Dyke. The 

 Hartley Burn has two branches — the left is called Blackburn, the 

 right E-oachburn. The party resolved to examine the Blackburn, 

 which abounds in basaltic precipices ; the water, after running 

 through a deep and narrow channel, is thrown over a columnar 

 brae in a succession of falls. The basaltic columns below, rise to 

 a great height ; and further down, where the stream crosses the 

 dyke, the strata are broken and dip at every angle, and are also 

 intersected by veins of basalt. The diluvium is a bed of reddish, 

 clayey gravel, in which are embedded nodules of new red sand- " 

 stone, masses of granite, and other products of the country, to the 

 west and north-west. The party spent some time in the exami- 

 nation of this interesting spot, and were much gratified with the 

 excursion. 



The Evening Meetings were held, as usual, at the Literary 

 and Philosophical Rooms, and were well attended. At the Sixth, 



VOL. III. PT. II. H 



