14 PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS. 
attended most of the previous meetings. So much regret was 
expressed by many members of their being unable to attend the 
meeting at Whitburn and Marsden on the 10th of October, from 
the inclemency of the weather, that the Committee resolved to 
hold another at the same locality on Wednesday, the 24th. 
Most fortunately the day was very, nay, unusually fine, and the 
muster the largest that has ever occurred since the formation of 
the Club. The Life-boat House at Whitburn was fixed as the 
starting point, and from this they proceeded by the shore to the 
north. Mr. J. W. Kirkby, of Sunderland, on the route directed 
attention to, and explained the deposits of the northern glacial 
drift which rests upon the permian cliffs. Mr. Richard Howse 
also pointed out the many interesting features of the magnesian 
limestone forming the beautiful cliffs of this part of the coast, 
which has been so carefully studied by him, as our Transactions 
afford ample proof. Others made the rock-pools of the shore the 
field of their research; and at Byers’ Quarry, as heretofore, the 
geologists found abundance of minute fossils to reward the 
labours of their hammers. 
On reaching the well-known “ Grotto Hotel,” upwards of 70 
members sat down to a substantial tea; after which, the Rev. 
H. B. Tristram took the chair, and six gentlemen were elected 
members of the Club. The Rev. A. M. Norman then read a 
paper, since printed in our Transactions, “‘ On an undescribed 
Crustacean of the genus Mysis,” which, as mentioned above, had 
been found by him at the Castle Eden meeting of the Club, and 
the Secretary, Mr. Mennell, some memoranda on the habits of 
various insects, and the occurrence of entomological rarities within 
the district, by Mr. Bold. These have also been printed. Allu- 
sion having been subsequently made to a living Toad reported to 
have been found, as usual, in the solid limestone rock, near Sun- 
derland, various members present detailed the particulars of the 
case as far as known; and Mr. Norman added an interesting 
account of a number of experiments he had made to ascertain the 
powers of endurance possessed by the Toad when deprived of 
food and air, and also others, to show the extremely small aper- 
tures through which this animal can make its way. Votes of 
