president's address. 13 



3. ^* Notes on Plants New to the Flora of Northumberland, 

 with Observations on some Critical Species." By Mr. 

 Daniel Oliver, jun. 



Mr. T. J. Bold remarked that the common Ivy had this season 

 opened its flowers in our district ; that he had not observed it 

 to do so before, although he had examined it for many years in 

 the hope of finding rare insects on the blossoms. 



During the year several of our members have been engaged 

 in Natural History inquiries of much importance. 



Mr. Albany Hancock has had a Memoir on the Brachiopoda 

 read before the Royal Society, and he has prepared a paper for 

 the Leeds meeting of the British Association on " Certain Vermi- 

 form Markings on Mountain Limestone Slabs." 



Mr. R. Howse is preparing a paper on Jarrow Slake. 



Mr. Donkin has met with most encouraging success in his 

 investigation of Microscopic Organisms. In a communication to 

 the Microscopic Society of London, he states that he has met 

 with upwards of tliirty new and undescribed species of marine 

 DiatomacecB on our shores. For two species he has established a 

 new genus, Toxonidea ; these are related to Pleurosigmaj but 

 differ in the line of the valves, their terminal nodules curving 

 to the same side ; the two sides, moreover, are not symmetrical. 



Meteorology has also had our attention, as appears in the 

 last part of our " Transactions." 



On the 4th February I received a letter from our junior Se- 

 cretary, Mr. Daniel Oliver, jun., acquainting me that it was 

 necessary he should resign his office, in consequence of having 

 got an appointment in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. 

 Entertaining as I do, with every member of the Club, a very 

 high respect for Mr. Oliver's talents as a Naturalist, and his 

 value as ^ Secretary, his resignation appeared likely to be detri- 

 mental to the Club. On the other hand, I could not but 

 feel gratified at the intelligence of his being placed under Sir 

 William Hooker, where his great botanical knowledge would be 

 appreciated ; and I have since had the pleasure of seeing him at 

 Kew, and going over the gardens with him, and I left him with 



