4 PRESIDENT 8 ADDRESS. 



The Stoneeliat, Saxicola ruhicola, was observed breeding in the 

 next Dene south of Castle Eden. This bird used to be plentiful 

 on Prestwick Car, but it has not been known to breed in that 

 locality for several years. 



About a mile and a half from the mouth of the Dene the 

 party, led by Mr. Burdon, emerged into the fields to the north, 

 and going through Monk Heseldon (Hazle-dene), made its way 

 across the country to the Black Halls Rocks, in order to visit 

 them before the advancing tide should render them inaccessible ; 

 and it was fortunate that this course was adopted, as the party 

 had just time enough to effect an exploration of the coast, and 

 to make good their retreat. 



The Black Halls Rocks are of Magnesian Limestone, and the 

 cliffs as rugged, broken, and wildly picturesque as can well be 

 imagined, resembling in general character those at Roker and 

 Marsden, being, however, grander, and in greater variety of 

 irregularity — several rugged promontories, jutting boldly sea- 

 ward, enclose little bays, and are perforated by passages of 

 diversely arched forms, some of them leading into capacious and 

 lofty caves, capable of holding large assemblages of men. Here, 

 *' in cool grot," the Naturalists reposed after their hot walk, and 

 examined the strange forms of the strata, and detected a few 

 fossils imbedded in the rock. These were afterwards extracted 

 by the Rev. G. C. Abbes. They proved to be Nautilus Friesle- 

 beni, Monotis spehincaria, and GervilUa antiqua. Mr. Howse has 

 since obtained from the same locality specimens of Terehratula 

 elongata and Pleurotomaria antrina. A great part of the face of 

 the rocks appeared as if it had once been entirely broken up into 

 small angular fragments, which had again been by some mys- 

 terious agency suddenly and confusedly cemented together, their 

 angularity being perfectly preserved. The Asplenimn marinum 

 was detected growing out of smdl cavities in the limestone in 

 several places. 



Escaping, some by scaling the cliffs, and others by rushing 

 through the waves which threatened to bar their exit, from these 

 beautiful caverns, in which they had lingered almost too long, 



