344 peesident's addeess. 



plantations to Seaton Sluice, once a busy little port and the 

 source of large revenues to the Delaval family. This little har- 

 bour was j&rst designed and constructed by Sir Ralph Delaval in 

 the reign of King Charles II. At that time the entrance was by 

 the natural mouth of the stream, which ran towards the north and 

 was protected from the north-east winds by a stone pier. The 

 King appointed Sir Ralph collector of his own port. The pas- 

 sage cut through the rock eastwards from the point where the 

 stream turns towards the north was made by Lord Delaval in 

 the latter part of the last century. A rest was made at Seaton 

 Sluice and some slight refreshment partaken of, after which the 

 party walked by the coast to Cullercoats, which place they 

 reached after the shades of evening had already closed upon 

 them. 



Two Evening Meetings of the Club, jointly with the IS'atural 

 History Society, have been held during my term of office, at 

 neither of which, however, was I able to be present, which I 

 very much regret. The first of these evening meetings was 

 held in the Committee Room of the Literary and Philosophical 

 Society, on Thursday, the 26th of November last. Dr. Emble- 

 ton presided. The night was very stormy, but, notwithstanding, 

 about twenty members attended. Mr. Hancock read a notice 

 of the habit of the Young Cuckoo in ejecting the eggs and young 

 of its foster parent from the nest, observed by him at Oatlands, 

 Surrey, in June, 1884; also, a note on the Indian form of the 

 Spotted Eagle shot on the Northumberland Coast, near Cress- 

 well, on October 31st, 1885. 



A long and interesting discussion followed the reading of Mr. 

 Hancock's paper on the Cuckoo. Dr. Embleton read a note on 

 the Birds seen by him at Nest House, Eelling Shore, in May 

 and June, 1884; also a note of the occurrence of Shrimps in 

 considerable numbers in the Tyne, both below and several miles 

 above the High Level Bridge ; and a note on the capture of the 

 "Bergylt" or Norwegian Haddock off the Tyne in June, 1884. 

 The Rev. W. Johnson read a list of Lichens gathered by him 

 during a ramble between Mitford and Morpeth on an early day 



