262 THE president's address. 



and. in such a county as Cornwall. A county containing so manj^ 

 local antiquities, and so rich in mineral wealth and curiosities, 

 and having an exceptional extensive sea coast, which is visited 

 by rare birds from all climates, by fish from all seas, and by 

 shells and sea weeds brought hither hj the gulf stream, some of 

 which are unknown on other shores of England. 



The facilities, too, for securing foreign curiosities are great, 

 for our fleet of fishing boats and traders visit almost every 

 country. The jiromoters of oiir miiseum have only to oflter 

 encouragement to bring, and to give the sailors instruction in 

 the class of objects they should enquire for when abroad, and 

 bring home. But that which our museum should most encourage 

 is the acquisition of local specimens of every class, and our chief 

 room should be devoted to specimens from Cornwall alone. 



It is well to record from time to time any facts bearing on the 

 natural history of our county, which may be new or interesting. 



I am delighted to be able to report that Seak have been seen 

 lately, for the first tiiue, about the Gribben headland, near my 

 own residence, Men;ibilly. The man who attends to my lobster 

 pots was surprised at early dawn in March of last j^ear, to see a 

 large seal rise out of the water close to his boat, which was at 

 that time not far from the Cannis Rock, and after taking a good 

 look at the boat, dived and appeared again on the other side of 

 the boat at a little distance, and then disappeared. My game- 

 keeper has also noticed the marks of seals where they have been 

 basking on the low shelving rocks under the Gribben, and upon 

 those parts of them, which, being close to the water, are covered 

 with short grass, where the impress of their forms are manifest. 

 I have given orders that they shall not be disturbed, and I hope 

 the quiet isolation of the Gribben foreland may tempt them to 

 remain, and increase. 



Another interesting event occurred in the same neighbourhood. 

 A full grown otter was found dead in one of my lobster pots, 

 which had been set the night before in about 7 fathoms of 

 water ; the animal had evidently entered the lobster pot, when 

 nearly exhausted, to seize the bait or a captured fish, and being 

 unable to extricate itself and rise, was drowned, and was found 

 in the morning stiff and curled to the shape of the pot. My 



