PEESIDENT S ADDBESS. 69 



for a time, and then slowly turned towards Hexham, the Presi- 

 dent on the way calling to apologize to Miss Hedley for the 

 liberty we had taken in passing through her fields without leave. 



The day was charming throughout, and the view from the 

 high bank above Hexham, lit up by the evening sun, splendid. 



About sixty members dined together, after which twelve new 

 members were elected, and then a quiet walk to the Station 

 brought our first meeting to a close. 



The Second Field Meeting was at Alston, on June 23rd and 

 24th. About thirty ladies and gentlemen joined this excursion. 

 The weather was rather unfavourable, but did not entirely pre- 

 vent the enjoyment of our visit to this moorland and mining dis- 

 trict. The party who came by early train, after breakfast, took 

 conveyances from the Blue Bell Inn to within a few hundred 

 yards of the top of Cross Fell, Mr. Purvis kindly acting as guide. 

 After leaving Garrigill Gate the road became steep and rough, 

 and the majority preferred walking by a short cut across the 

 fell, where the Moss Polytrichum septentrionale was growing in 

 such luxuriance and quantity in full fruit as to attract general 

 attention, and rejoined above the circuitous mountain track. Our 

 first plant was Seclum vilhsum, and many of the other flowers 

 which grow in sub-alpine situations vfere observed. On gaining 

 higher ground we began to breathe more freely the fine moun- 

 tain air, riding or botanizing according to the state of the road, 

 and earnestly contemplating the top of Cross Fell, which it was 

 our object to ascend. Saxifraga stello/ris now became abundant 

 in every runner, and small patches of 8. hypnoides, and two or 

 three species of Lycopodium and large tufts of Parsley Fern 

 shewed themselves among the broken rocks of the old mining 

 works. A gleam oE sunshine led us to hope that we should soon 

 be on the top of the mountain, with the advantage of fine weather. 

 Indeed some of the party were close to the east end of the hill 

 when suddenly a heavy cloud from the west struck the mountain 

 top, trailing its fleecy, drooping fringes all over us ; rain began 

 to fall ; thunder to roll ; and before we were well sheltered in a 

 comfortable mining shop a heavy thunderstorm was upon us. 



