282 president's address. 



brilliant in general effect as the masses of hyacinth, primroses, 

 and forget-me-nots which greeted us a couple of months earlier 

 at Hartford Bridge. The most abundant and conspicuous flower 

 on this occasion was Campanula latifolia, which in the shelter 

 of Kepier Wood grows luxuriantly, its spikes of white or pale 

 blue often "making a sunshine of the shady place." The only 

 other plant requiring notice was Hypericum humifusum, an incon- 

 spicuous species not very abundant in our district. 



After tea, which awaited us at the County Hotel, Durham, 

 seven new members were elected, and a short paper by myself 

 entitled, " Note on some instances of protective adaptation in marine 

 animals,'" was read. This has since been printed in "Nature." 



The Fourth Meeting was held at Hareshaw Linn on the 18th 

 of August. Leaving Newcastle by the early morning train the 

 party arrived at Bellingham in time for breakfast, which was 

 provided at the Bailway Hotel. This important part of the pro- 

 ceedings having been satisfactorily despatched they walked to 

 Hareshaw Linn, following the course of the burn along a path 

 newly made by Mr. Charlton of Hesleyside. A long continuance 

 of dry weather had left the Linn without much water, but de- 

 spite this drawback, the surroundings of the fall are beautiful 

 enough to be well worthy of a visit. Apart from the High Force 

 of the Tees, we have indeed no waterfall in our district at all 

 comparable for picture squeness to Hareshaw Linn. Through a 

 rift in an almost perpendicular wall of rock, about one hundred 

 feet in height, the water of the little burn comes in a single bro- 

 ken leap off the moors. The banks of the ravine into which it 

 tumbles are very precipitous and richly wooded, boughs and leaf- 

 age almost meeting over the waterfall. But Mr. Baker's de- 

 scription of this spot, in his introduction to the "New Flora of 

 Northumberland and Durham" is so picturesque, and according 

 to my recollection so characteristic, that I cannot forbear repro- 

 ducing it here. " The waterfall is about a mile distant from the 

 town (of Bellingham). Just above the railway we have to climb 

 over the shale heaps of the ironworks. Then the sides of the 

 glen become steeper and we lose sight of the town and the 



