82 peesident's address. 



annually by the lessee, and the wanton injury done to old and 

 young by gunners at the expiration of the close time, very few 

 young have a chance of getting away. If this be the case, the 

 number annually visiting the rock must continually decrease, 

 unless replenished from other breeding stations. Statistics re- 

 lating to these birds are very uncertain and unsatisfactory, but, 

 compared with the accounts given by old authors, the number of 

 Grannets visiting the Bass seems to be considerably reduced. 



Another cause of the diminution in the number of Gannets is 

 probably to be found in the great increase of steam traffic along 

 the coast. The daily passing and repassing of large steam vessels 

 must be a constant source of disturbance both to the birds them- 

 selves and to the shoals of young Herrings, on which they prin- 

 cipally feed. Similar reasons would seem to account for the 

 large decrease in the flocks of birds which frequent the Fame 

 Islands and Flamborough Head, and it appears certain that un- 

 less further protection is extended to the interesting birds, which 

 still make these breeding stations famous, many of them will be 

 driven away to more distant and inaccessible places. 



The weather on the following day was so unfavourable that 

 only a short visit was paid to the lighthouse on St. Abb's Head 

 and to the ruins of Coldingham Abbey. 



The FoTJETii Field Meeting was a visit to St. John's, Wear- 

 dale. Only nine members availed themselves of the opportunity 

 of visiting one of the prettiest valleys in the North of England, 

 and which for mineralogical and geological pursuits is far superior 

 to any other in our district. The narrowness and steepness of the 

 main valley from Frosterley to "Wearhead, on the sides of which 

 are indicated the outcrop of numerous beds of Mountain Lime- 

 stone ranging in section from the Great Limestone, which is 

 worked so extensively in the neighbourhood of Stanhope, down 

 to the small outcrop of the Cockle Shell Band displayed in the 

 neigbourhood of Westgate ; the great extent of the lateral valleys 

 scooped in former times out of the huge hill sides, and extending 

 on the north side to distances of several miles, and shewing 

 outcrops through nearly their whole extent; the extensive 



