peesident's address. 177 



and aid them ; and to all opportunities of pleasant intercourse 

 and mutual improvement. At these meetings the root- work is 

 done, which, like that of Nature, is silent and unobserved, but 

 in due time the results appear. Of this kind I doubt not good 

 work has been done at the meetings I refer to. There are few 

 who took part in them, I am persuaded, who did not carry away 

 something more than a pleasant reminiscence. 



But there is another consideration which prevents me from 

 presenting to you, in much detail, an account of the proceedings 

 at these meetings. Though they may not have been productive 

 of notable scientific discoveries, yet they might well afford ample 

 and varied matter for interesting narrative if the subject were 

 new to the members. But it has become the practice to give a 

 full account of each meeting, as it occurred, in the local papers. 

 These accounts are generally very well done. The members 

 read them ; and by a good arrangement they are inserted and 

 preserved in the minute book of the Club. All this seems to 

 render the address of the President, in so far as it served the 

 purpose of a record of proceedings, unnecessary; and it has 

 appeared to me that I should occupy your time more profitably 

 if, after a very cursory notice of what was done at the meet- 

 ings, I should pass on to some subject of permanent and fresher 

 interest. 



The FiEST Field Meeting was at Cawsey Dene, on the 22nd 

 of May. The day was a very fine one, and about forty members 

 were present. This dene is one of the few spots in this work- 

 stained district where Nature has taken sanctuary, and has con- 

 trived to preserve its loveliness in adversity. At Cawsey Dene 

 the party enjoyed a most pleasant ramble, and found many ob- 

 jects of interest, especially ferns ; among others, Pohjpodiuvi 

 dryoiMris and phegopteris, almost in the presence of the usual 

 sights and sounds of a great colliery district. The meeting ter- 

 minated at Tanfield, where two papers were read ; one contribu- 

 ted by G. C. Atkinson, Esq., on " Salmon in the Tyne in 1866," 

 and the other by T. J. Bold, Esq., on " Some additions to tlw 

 local Homoptera and Coleoptera.'' 



M 



