BY J. WRIGHT. 35 



now instead of the lium of insects and the song of birds there 

 are the busy hives of the industry of men. 



On holiday times, such as Easter, Whitsuntide, and the Eace 

 "Week, his wanderings were further extended, and the lake at 

 Gosforth, and Prestwick Car became the scene of his visits. He 

 also, as opportunity ojffered, explored the sea coast both north- 

 ward and southward. He was thus constantly adding to his 

 collection and also to his knowledge of the insects he collected, 

 for he was not satisfied with merely possessing the insects, but 

 strove to acquire a knowledge of their habits and economy. His 

 summer holidays he usually spent with Mr. John Addison, of 

 Banks House, Lanercost, and made admirable use of these oppor- 

 tunities in exploring the at that time almost unknown Entomology 

 of the banks of the Irthing, in the neighbourhood of Lanercost, 

 Na worth, and Gilsland. His pursuits soon brought him into con- 

 tact with others of like habits, and amongst others may be men- 

 tioned Mr. Jas. Hardy, now Secretary of the Berwickshire Club, 

 and Dr, Thomas Pigg, now of Manchester, and a former Secretary 

 of our own Club, both of whom were ardent entomologists. He 

 also became acquainted with Mr. John Hancock, whom he occa- 

 sionally accompanied on his visits to the sea coast. 



In 1843 he became a member of the Wallis Society, of which 

 Mr. Hardy was the principal founder, and who at that time lived 

 at Gateshead. This Society consisted of a small number of young 

 men, who met weekly or fortnightly at each other's houses, but 

 principally the meetings were held at Mr. Hardy's. The objects 

 of the Society was the study of the 2^atural History and Anti- 

 quities of Northumberland and Durham. At those meetings 

 papers were read and specimens exhibited and compared, followed 

 by discussions on the papers read or specimens shewn. Amongst 

 the objects of the Society, which Mr. Hardy says was rather 

 ambitiously conceived, was the forming of a new Fauna of the 

 district in some of the branches of Natural History which at that 

 time had not been worked out. But though this scheme was 

 not carried out, as the "VVallis Society had not a lengthened life, 

 yet the foundations were at that time laid of those catalogues 

 with which Mr. Hardy and Mr. Bold have enriched our own 



