90 president's address. 



the Srd May, 1859, by Mr. T. E. Harrison, Member of the 

 Institute of Civil Engineers, "On the Tyne Docks at South 

 Shields," which were recently opened for traffic, Mr. Harrison 

 states that " the first-point of engineering interest was the 

 nature of the foundations. A series of careful borings showed, 

 that though there was, in places, a strong stony clay, resting on 

 the coal measures, yet that this clay was very partial, dipping 

 suddenly away. Within a few yards of the clay -bed, borings 

 were made to a depth, in some places of seventy feet and U23wards 

 through the mud or slake deposit, without getting a bottom ; 

 showing that not only the clay, but the coal measures were gone. 

 The original level of the ground was ascertained to be ten feet 

 below the lowest ebb of a spring tide at the present time, eon- 

 firming the opinion that a general depression of the east coast 

 had taken place."* 



It would be interesting to ascertain the results of the excava- 

 tions in forming the docks at Sunderland, Hartlepool, and other 

 places on the east coast. 



2. " On the occurrence, on the Durham coast, of Acmcea Testu- 

 dmalis." By Mr. Albany Hancock. 



8. " On the occuiTcnce, between Sunderland and Hartlepool 

 of a species of Teredo, and of XylopJiaga dorsalis.^^ By 

 Mr. Albany Hancock. 



4. Ornithological Notes. By Mr. John Hancock, 



In reference to Mr. John Hancock's paper, Mr. Carr, the Eev. 

 Mr. Tristram, Dr. Charlton, and others, gave accounts of interest- 

 ing ornithological facts which they had noticed ; and a general wish 

 was expressed that the members would furnish the Secretary 

 with brief notices of interesting facts in any branch of Natural 

 History. 



The chairman congratulated Mr. A. Hancock and the Club on 

 the great honour which had been conferred on him and them by 

 the award to him of the Gold Medal of the Koyal Society, for 

 his valuable researches on the Anatomy of the Mollusca; and 

 expressed a hope that, at the next meeting, Mr. Hancock would 



* Engineer, 13th May, 1859. 



