296 president's addeess. 



Astragalus hypoglottis, Scilla verna, Geranium sanguineum, and 

 Asplemum marinum. At the foot ot Embleton Burn cowslips 

 "were in great abundance and in profuse flower, many of the 

 stems bearing double sets of flowers. By the older botanists 

 Dunstanborough is given as a station for the " Scottish Lovage," 

 but one of the party who has searched for the plant has been 

 unable to find a trace of it. Nevertheless, it may have been 

 overlooked. As this is the only recorded station for this plant 

 on the East Coast of England, it is much to be hoped that it 

 will be found still present on our coast. Though early in the 

 season, a few specimens of that beautiful butterfly, the Painted 

 Lady ( Vanessa cardui), were seen, — tempted out, doubtless, 

 by the unwonted warmth of the sun. This insect is fitful in 

 its appearance in our district, many years passing without its 

 being seen at all, whilst at other times it occurs in great abund- 

 ance, usually on the sea-coast. The specimens seen on this 

 occasion had, no doubt, hybernated here. After dining at 

 the "Hare and Hounds," Embleton, the party were very 

 courteously shown over the church and the charming garden 

 of the Eectory by the Rector, the E.ev. Canon Osborne. This 

 concluded a very delightful excursion, and left us time to walk 

 comfortably to Christen Bank for the return train at 6.35. 



Though the weather for 1892 was remarkably fine, only four 

 or five members attended the Second Meeting at Knaresborough 

 on June the 24th. An early start had to be made from New- 

 castle and the North, and it was nearly eleven before the work 

 of the day was begun. The party first examined the site and 

 the picturesque remains of the old castle and the extensive views 

 to be obtained from that elevated situation. A descent having 

 been made to the river, several fine sections were examined of 

 the Magnesian limestone resting on the Plumpton rocks, a mem- 

 ber of the Millstone Grit series, — the Coal measures in this part 

 of Yorkshire either not having been deposited or else denuded 

 prior to the Permian period, thus shewing a marked contrast 

 between the superposition of these rocks in Yorkshire and Dur- 

 ham, where the Magnesian limestone rests on the denuded edges 



