president's address. 183 



which were noticed by Mr. John Thompson : — Primula farinosa, 

 Viola lutea, CocJilearia officinalis^ Plantago maritimay Ruhus 

 saxatiliSy Potentilla ft-uticosa, Galium uliginosum, G. boreale, 

 Polygonum vivijxtrum, Melampyrum sylvaticum^ Equisetum varie- 

 gatum, Lycopodium selaginoides. 



No mention is here made of that very lovely plant the Spring 

 Gentian (^Gentiana vernd) which is known,. in Teesdale, to the 

 country people, under the name of "Blue Violet" or ''^Spring 

 Violet ; " nor is . it numbered among the plants discovered in a 

 previous visit by the Club to the same district, at the same tima, 

 in the year 1853, and given in Sir W. C. Trevelyan's Address 

 for 185-4:, and published at pp. 329 — 331 , of our " Transactions," 

 Vol. II. Part 4. It seems probable that that species, which 

 flowers in April, being out of blossom, might have been passed 

 over on July 21st, for it is frequent in Teesdale, both in the up- 

 lands and low grounds. It was first discovered there by Messrs 

 Harriman and Oliver, about sixty years ago. 



This district of Teesdale is much too extensive to be examined 

 in one or two days ; it would require, at the least, as many weeks. 

 The Weeld, or more correctly the Weel derived from the Saxon 

 woel, a whirlpool, Caldron Snout, the High Force,* or Water- 

 fall, the position of an original and primitive chain bridge, called 

 Winch Bridge (now removed), and other objects, are deserving of 

 attention. Also the remarkable and extensive cliffs, rocks, and 

 beds of Basalt or Trap, in and about the river Tees. Indeed, 

 from hence proceeds the most considerable Basaltic Dyke in this 

 part of the kingdom, because it may be regularly traced for 

 about sixty miles, to Maybecks in Yorkshire. On these subjects 

 it is unnecessary for me to enlarge, since they are detailed in Sir 

 W. C. Trevelyan's address, already referred to. 



The Parish of Middleton, Teesdale, is very extensive; but 

 the town on the north side of the Tees — the principal one 

 in the district — is small and chiefly inhabited by miners, many 

 of whom are extremely intelligent. Its little church is an- 

 cient, and stands on high ground; it is remarkable for having 



* Force, meaning a "Waterfall," is probably of Scandinavian or Norse origin; it seems a 

 corruption of the woxAfoss in that language. 



