presidknt's addkkss. 197 



say ? — we had more working members than now. Bearing all 

 this iu mind, I do not propose to weary you with a lengthy 

 account of our various expeditions, in whieh I am sorry to say 

 I have been able to take very small part — a part indeed so 

 small that I must here beg you to excuse my many and very 

 unwilling absences. 



The FiEST Field Meeting was held at Chester-le-Street and 

 Lambton Park on the 27th of May. There was a gathering of 

 about seven members, who were kindly allowed by Lord Dur- 

 ham's agent, Mr. Stobart, to see the Castle and grounds. The 

 park is one of the most beautiful in the country, and at this 

 time of the year when, the woods are gay with Anemones and 

 Wild Hyacinths, is worth a long pilgrimage to see. It is need- 

 less to say that the visit was much enjoyed, — the afternoon 

 having belied the expectation of the morning and turned out 

 beautifully fine. The party dined at Chester-le-Street, and an 

 interesting paper on "Bird Life at the Fame Islands" was read 

 by Mr. W. E. Branford. 



On June 24th the members met for their Second Field Day 

 at Eipon and Fountains Abbey. The party numbered fourteen, 

 amongst whom were several ladies. Leaving Newcastle at 

 7.35 a.m., Ripon was reached at 9.54. After luncheon at the 

 *' Unicorn," traps were put in requisition to take the party to 

 Fountains. The day was beautifully fine — quite a model day, 

 indeed, to show off the wood-and-water-works of Mr. "Capa- 

 bility" Brown, the stately ruins of the old Abbey, and the 

 almost equally interesting architecture of Fountains Hall, an 

 old Jacobean mansion built out of the material of the Abbey 

 walls. Excepting Dimithus phimarius, growing upon the crumb- 

 ling old masonry, nothing of special zoological or botanical in- 

 terest was observed during the day, nor were any papers read. 



The Thikd Field Meeting was arranged for an excursion to 

 Eichmond, in Swaledale, on Friday, July 17th. Most of those 

 who attended proceeded to Richmond on the previous afternoon 



