PEESrDElSrT's ADDRESS. 133 



cut off from the lower part by a broad turnpilie road, and the 

 Seaham railway, which did not exist at the time of the Club's 

 first visit in 1849. Perpendicular and beetling cliffs, covered 

 with ivy and other evergreens ; water-worn caves, ornamented 

 with marchantia and moss, the whole almost concealed under 

 over-hanging trees and shrubs ; a small trickling stream winding 

 its way towards the sea, and forming here and there deep pools, 

 are the chief characteristics of this as of many other of the beau- 

 tiful denes, which cut through the magnesian-limestone, in many 

 parts of the Durham coast — a unique feature in our local physi- 

 cal geography — occurring in no other part of these islands, and 

 peculiar to the magnesian-limestone. 



In former years, and on the first visit of the Club, the Harts- 

 tongue grew in the greatest profusion and size, some of the fronds 

 being more than 20 inches in length, but soon after the Club's 

 visit it was so entirely eradicated by fern-maniacs that not even 

 a seedling was left. Although directly contrary to our Rule, it 

 is to be feared that sometimes the meetings of our Club have, indi- 

 rectly perhaps, led to the destruction of some of our rare plants, 

 by pointing out and making known to the general public the 

 places where they grow. Later in the day we were told that, 

 though strictly protected, most of the Harts-tongue had been 

 stolen from Seaham Dene, and this destruction has occurred in 

 all the denes along our coast to which the public have free ad- 

 mission. Most of the stations for the Harts-tongue, Sea Asple- 

 nium. Black Spleenwort, and "Wall-rue, which formerly grew 

 vigorously and plentifully in the east of Durham, 40 years ago, 

 are now more or less completely destroyed by the hand of man, 

 or by the smoky atmosphere in some instances. 



One half of the party descended the steep banks of the Dene, 

 near the Eailway Bridge, and worked their way along the bod 

 of the stream ; others proceeded along the top and entered the 

 Dene by its narrow outlet on the coast. The Black Bryony, the 

 Privet, and the Juniper still grow on the sloping banks, and 

 many of the common autumnal flowers were still lingering in 

 bloom near the coast. Some of our rarer land shells and plants 

 occurred here to the earlier explorers of the district. 



