246 UK DuLHiLA« S AUJJKKS.s. 



Secretary, P. J. fSelby, Esi]^., Et-v. A. liaird, Dr Clarke, Eev. Gr. Cuu- 

 uing-ham, and tlie liev. J. Turubull. The Eev. Mr Tougli of A}i;on 

 liuuoured the Club with his company at dinner. 



After breakfast, the party took tlie nsual walk, strolling first through 

 the grounds in front of Ayton House, and following the course of the 

 river Eye, until they reached Mill-Bank paper- works, which they were 

 permitted to examine. From this they traced up a certain length of 

 the ravine through which the Aleburn winds its tortuous way. During 

 this walk, nothing new, either to the Fauna or Flora of the district, 

 occurred, and nothing very rare. A few fruit-bearing mosses were 

 picked up, a few insects captured, and one or two shells, uncommon in 

 the district, as Bulimus ohncurus and Hdix pygmoea^ taken. The walk 

 was, however, very agreeable ; for, as the day was fine, the glow of 

 spring-ilowers, the rich verdure of the trees, and of the springing grass, 

 the songs of the birds, and the murmuring of the waters of the stream, 

 as it trotted over its gravelly bed, and its deejD stillness as it lingered 

 at the foot of precipitous whin-clad rocks, that I'ose abrupt from the 

 water, came with a healing power on every heart, filling it with a pure 

 feeling which welled forth in peace, and gaiety, and good-will to all 

 men. Chaucer has aptly painted the scene we walked in, but has 

 apparently been as uiuch at a loss as ourselves to describe the feelings 

 it calls forth, just because of their fulness and blended natures. 



" Who sawe cvir so feyr or so glud a day, 

 Aud how sote this seson is entring into May ? 

 The thrustelis and the thrushis in this glad mornyng, 

 The rnddok and the goldfynch, 

 His amerous notis, lo ! how he twynith small ! 

 Lo ! how the trees greuytli that nakid wer, and nothing 

 Bare this month afore but their sommer clothing ! 

 Lo! how Natui-e makith for them everichone ! 

 And as many as ther be he forgettith none ! 

 Lo ! how the seson of the yere and Averell showris 

 Doith the bushis burgyn out blossoms and flowi'is ! 

 Lo ! the prymerosia how fresh they ben to sene ! 

 And many othir flowris among the grassis grene. 

 Lo ! how they sj^ryng and sprede, and of divers hue ! 

 Beholdith, and seith both I'ede, white aud blue ! 

 That lusty bin and comfortabill for mann'ys sight ; 

 For I sey for myself it makith my hert to light !" 



This walk gave us also zest aud appetite to enjoy the very good din- 

 ner that awaited our return to the village ; and, after a talk more 

 pleasant than wise, we separated in the pleasing hope of meeting again 

 together at Wooler on the 16th of June, to talk of the beauties of 

 Nature, and draw, from new and equally agreeable strolls, the best of 

 all arguments of the use of Natural History. At Wooler, accordingly, 



