THE HANCOCK INIUSEUM AND ITS HISTORY IX 



Durham, and Newcastle-on-Tyne, this new society took over 

 the museum, and has been responsible for its maintenance 

 ever since. 



The Society began its career under good auspices. Among 

 its original members were several naturalists whose names 

 and v^'orks were known in the scientific world throughout 

 Britain, and even beyond. Perhaps the best known of all 

 was P. J. Selby, of Twizell House, in the north of Northum- 

 berland, one of the most celebrated of the earlier ornithologists. 

 Another, Nathaniel J. Winch, was a noted botanist. In days 

 when travel, even in one's native land, was a serious under- 

 taking, he had thoroughly explored the northern counties of 

 England, and his great work, " The Botanist's Guide to 

 Northumberland and Durham," was considered — and was — a 

 remarkable achievement. The greater part of his very fine 

 herbarium is still preserved in the museum. Other celebrated 

 naturalists who were original members of the Society were 

 W. C. Hewitson, Dr. George Johnston of Berwick, Joshua 

 Alder, and Albany Hancock. Sir Walter Trevelyan and Sir 

 Matthew White Ridley were two of the original vice-presi- 

 dents. The first president was the Bishop of Durham, 

 Edward Maltby. 



In the council room at the museum there is a very interest- 

 ing memorial of the early days of the Society. It is the 

 certificate of membership of William Backhouse, a good 

 naturalist of that time living in Weardale, and it bears the 

 signature of the bishop as president, and of William Hutton 

 and George Wailes as secretaries. Hutton was a geologist, 

 joint author of Lindley and Hutton's " Fossil Flora,"' a work 

 which is one of the foundations of the science of fossil botany. 

 A large part of the material for this classical book was 

 collected by Hutton in the Newcastle district, and especially 

 at the old Jarrow colliery. His collection, like all assemblages 

 of early "type specimens," is of extreme scientific value; it 

 was given to the Society in 1883 by the Mining Institute of 

 Newcastle, and forms one of the most important treasures of 

 the museum. Hutton's co-secretary, George Wailes, was the 



