president's adbeess. 2.33 



the remains of wild cattle, formerly existing, and long since ex- 

 tinct! The splendid flowers of the Spotted Orchis and several 

 rare plants were found, but the one most desired, Malaxis paludosa, 

 was not seen, A rougher and more disorderly road than the 

 " Stanegate" is rarely found. 



Those of the party left behind ascended the sloping ground to 

 Hotbank, and examined the Camp at House Steads, meeting a 

 contingent of members, who had left by a later train, and walked 

 from Haydon Bridge to Sewing Shields, and onward to House 

 Steads. This route has so often been traversed by the Club that 

 no observations are necessary. The party dined at Haydon 

 Bridge, and left for Newcastle by the late train, after having 

 spent a pleasant day, interrupted by only one or two slight 

 showers, and were thus more fortunate than those of the mem- 

 bers who paid former visits to the locality. 



The FoiJETH Meeting was held at Barnard Castle for Balder- 

 dale, on Monday, the 6th of August. About twenty members 

 were present, half of them arriving at Barnard Castle on the 

 Saturday evening, when a ramble was taken through the pre-, 

 cincts of the town and by the banks of the Tees. The stream, 

 for want of rain, was so small as to be fordable in many places ; 

 and the unpleasant odours exhaled from it, recalled to mind the 

 fearful ravages of an epidemic which visited this favourite resort 

 half a century ago. 



The weather on Monday was unsettled, but only a short and 

 rather refreshing shower fell during the enjoyable drive by 

 Deepdale, Lartington, and Cotherstone, and along the narrow 

 lanes to Hury Mill. At this place it is intended to form a dam 

 across the valley, thus making a large reservoir for the supply 

 of water to the towns on the lower reaches of the Tees. If this 

 plan be carried out the pasturage, farmsteads, and trees would 

 be covered, and of course destroyed, leaving only the heathery 

 moorlands round the water. 



The scenery in the upper part of the dale above Hury is less 

 varied and romantic than is usual in the tributary valleys of the 

 Tees. Mr. Howell, director of the Geological Survey of the 



