PKESlDJiNx's ADDltESS. 121 



ADDRESS TO THE MEMBERS OF THE TYNESIDE 

 NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB, 



BEAD FOE THE PBESIDENT, THE EEV. CANON TRISTRAM, F.R.S., ETC., 

 BY THE HON. SECRETARY, AT THE FOETY-FIPTH ANNIVEBSABY, 

 HELD IN THE LIBRARY OF THE MUSEUM, ON PBIDAY, MAY 22nd, 1891. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, — I deeply regret that, in resigning for 

 the fourth time in the course of forty years the honourable 

 position in which you have placed me as your President, I have 

 to begin by confessing my repeated short comings during my 

 term of office, and also to apologize for addressing you by letter 

 from the middle of the Indian Ocean instead of appearing before 

 you in the chair. 



I have, in the first place, to recall to the members of the Club 

 the various excursions planned and successfully carried out dur- 

 ing the year. As, on account of official engagements, I was 

 unavoidably absent from many of the Field Meetings, I am much 

 indebted for the following reports of these Meetings to our Hon- 

 orary Secretaries. 



The First Field Meeting was fixed for Friday, the 6th of 

 June, and, there being every indication of a wet day, only a few 

 members joined in this excursion. Leaving the Central Station 

 by the 10.5 a.m. train they travelled to Darlington, and after a 

 short stay for the Richmond train they soon reached Croft Sta- 

 tion and crossed the Tees bridge to that pretty, unpretentious 

 watering place in a pelting rain. But the party were not in- 

 clined to sadness, and took advantage of the heavy showers to 

 refresh themselves at the Spa Hotel, and by the time lunch was 

 finished the weather had also improved, and arrangements hav- 

 ing been made for dinner, the party sallied out, and, under 

 umbrellas, began to explore and enjoy the floral beauties and 

 the spring vegetation of this rural spot. The broom, the lilac, 

 laburnum, and other spring shrubs and flowers appeared all the 



