president's addeess. 83 



quarrying carried on for limestone and. ironstone ; the numer- 

 ous mineral veins, which can be observed in the section of the 

 burns; and the exposure of two extensive beds of basalt by 

 faulting and otherwise, constitute this valley a classical spot for 

 a geologist; a model of which, reduced to a portable form, would 

 enable many persons to comprehend several geological theories 

 not generally understood. Inhabited by an independent, hard- 

 working, fresh-looking mining population, which is shut out in a 

 great measure from the effeminacy of towns, the sides of the 

 steep hills have been cultivated nearly to their tops, and cheerful 

 homes are scattered throughout the length of this charming val- 

 ley. Here and there a leading lead vein can be traced for miles 

 across the valley, but only one important fault, from north-east 

 to south-west nearly, breaks the somewhat uniform continuity 

 of the outcrop of the strata. This is the Burtree Ford Dyke, 

 which extends from the Tyne to the Tees. By former geologists 

 it was thought to be a basaltic dyke, since it occasionally brings 

 up the Great Whin -Sill along its line of throw, but it is merely 

 an extensive fault, affecting the position of the limestones and 

 Whin-Sill by many hundred feet in parts of its course. 



On alighting from the train at Stanhope our little party was 

 conveyed in a brake to the upper part of the dale, the sides of 

 which, with its many pleasant homesteads, could easily be seen 

 in our course. Our driver slackened speed at Howl John that 

 we might get a full look at the farmstead so called, where the 

 celebrated Durham shorthorn prize-taker was born and bred. A 

 little further on we gathered Sedum dasyphjUum, perhaps an out- 

 cast from a garden but now growing profusely wild in one 

 locality. Another halt was made at East Gate to inspect Mr. 

 Moor's collection of British Ferns obtained from this and the 

 neighbouring dale, among these were some magnificent specimens 

 of the Holly Fern, Folysticlmm loncMtis, with fronds twenty 

 inches in length, which had been brought from Teesdale twenty 

 years ago. Passing from the East Gate of the Bishop's Old Park 

 to Westgate, we encountered a heavy shower, but this was soon 

 over, and at West Gate we picked up our friend Mr. George 

 Race, a Wemerian geologist, who still clings, as nearly all miners 



