14 president's addeess. 



catalogue could not well be imagined, and it is very difficult 

 to find a fish in the sea off our coast which he has not had by 

 the tail, or is not mentioned in this valuable catalogue. The 

 fish trade which has been fostered at the Pish Quay at North 

 Shields has now assumed such large proportions that it is likely 

 soon to make this fishing centre at the mouth of the Tyne one 

 of the largest in the kingdom. It is giving employment to 

 hundreds of people who would otherwise have but little to do. 

 I have often thought it might be well if the Natural History 

 Society could see its way to send our admirable Curator, Mr. 

 Howse, down once a week to spend an hour or two amongst 

 the fishermen. I am sure we should be repaid by the acquisi- 

 tion of many a rare specimen which, by the untutored mind, is 

 looked on as rubbish, but to the naturalist is of great value. It 

 is only in few instances that these rarities are brought ashore, 

 whereas if such an arrangement could be carried out I am sure 

 we should reap a rich harvest. In Mr. Thomas Mackenzie, 

 the Fish-Quay Master, Mr. Howse would have a sympathetic 

 helper. 



Ladies and gentlemen, I fear I have tired you ; a few more 

 lines, and I am done. Some of us, whose love of the beauties 

 of Nature, it may be said, was born in us, can no doubt tell of 

 the delights of early morning rambles, and how we noticed that 

 all living things seemed to be waking up to enjoy themselves 

 after the refreshing hours of rest, which do so much to recu- 

 perate exhausted nature ; for let us remember that all living 

 organisms, be they ever so minute, have their part to play and 

 their work to do in this marvellous world of ours, and that 

 many of them — probably most — rest during the hours of dark- 

 ness. Then what better time can there be to watch them, and 

 endeavour to ascertain their habits and mode of living, than in 

 the quietness and freshness of an early spring or summer or 

 autumn morning? But there are other reasons which should 

 make the lover of Nature an early riser. Let us for a few 

 minutes look at one of these. Let us suppose, ladies and 

 gentlemen, that three or four young people have determined 

 some fine evening, after a close, sultry day, to rise very early 



