178 peesident's address. 



The Second Meeting, at Hexham and Dipton, on the 26th of 

 June, was of more varied interest. The day was remarkably 

 fine, and a large party of the members assembled at Hexham, 

 and enjoyed the advantage of visiting the antiquities of the town 

 under the guidance of the late President; and the Abbey Church 

 and its restorations, with the addition of the local knowledge of 

 a resident, Dr. Fairless. From Hexham the party proceeded 

 across the country to Dipton Burn, an affluent of the Devil's 

 Water, flowing in a wooded dell which winds through the moor- 

 land, full of natural beauty and romantic traditions. It was 

 entered at Queen Margaret's Cave, and thence followed to the 

 junction with the Devil's Water. It was found to be a very 

 paradise of ferns, with one form conspicuous for its absence, the 

 common Scolopendrium. The party proceeded along the beau- 

 tiful banks of the Devil's Water to Dilston, where, after partak- 

 ing of the hospitality of Mr. Grey, the ruined tower, and the 

 tomb of the last unfortunate Earl of Derwentwater were visited. 

 Corbridge was at length reached ; and after dinner a paper was 

 submitted to the meeting by the Eev. A. M. Norman and G. S. 

 Brady, Esq., " On the British Entomostraca of the Families Bos- 

 mmidce, Macrothricida;, and LynceidcB." A delightful excursion 

 was closed by a visit to the old church at Corbridge, which was 

 found to be undergoing a thorough restoration. 



The Third Meeting was at Cockfield and Eaby, on the 25th 

 of July. Here again the weather on the whole was favourable, 

 and the attendance good. 



At Cockfield the dyke was of course the centre of interest. 

 The party found themselves near the out-crop of the Coal-Mea- 

 sures, and had an opportunity of examining, under very favour- 

 able conditions, very marked traces of those eruptive convulsions 

 which broke up and dislocated our coal-beds, and added so much 

 to the difiiculty of working them. These effects are in most 

 parts concealed from view by the overlying Magnesian Lime- 

 stone. Here they are covered only by the drift which leaves 

 them in many places visible. The eruptive matter at Cockfield 

 fills the dyke to the surface without protrusion, having been 



