PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 411 



A marked feature of last season was the abundance of many 

 Lepidopterous insects in the larval form . In the South of England 

 much harm was done to fruit trees, while in our own district 

 many usually scarce Caterpillars were quite abundant. This 

 was noticed more particularly with regard to numbers of the 

 Bombyces, especially the families Dicranuridse, to which belong 

 the Puss and Kitten Moths, and the JSTotodonticlas, in which 

 are the Prominents. The Bed-straw Hawk Moth, which was 

 so numerous in some parts of the South, also visited us, three 

 or four specimens being got in or close to Berwick. 



Paxlas's Sand Grouse. 



The past year will be memorable for a remarkable irruption 

 of Pallas' s Sand Grouse, that beautiful migrant from the sandy 

 plains of Asia. 



The Sand Grouse was not seen in this country until 86 years 

 after it was first noticed by the naturalist whose name it bears. 

 This country has been visited by the Sand Grouse at varying 

 intervals since that time (1863), but never in such numbers as 

 was the case last year. In the spring, the Sand Grouse, in 

 large numbers, visited both the south and the north parts of the 

 country, and many were unfortunately destroyed. Numerous 

 flocks were seen at large and upon the wing. Early in May 

 they were reported to be crossing Germany and other parts of 

 the Continent, and very soon afterwards they reached England. 

 Curiously enough one of the first, if not the very first bird to be 

 recorded, was one that was killed against the telegraph wires 

 and picked up at Cragside, and sent by Lord Armstrong to Mr. 

 Hancock, on the 23rd May. Cragside is within a few miles of 

 the place where they were first noticed in England in 1863, 

 when three were killed at Thropton, on May 21st, two of which 

 came into the hands of Mr. Hancock. These birds are now 

 included in our almost-unrivalled Ornithological Collection at 

 B arras Bridge. 



A few clays before the Cragside bird was found the Sand Grouse 

 seemed to have appeared at Holy Island, the Fame Islands, 

 and the adjoining Coast. They frequented the edge of the shore 



