118 pbbsident's address. 



resigned the Rectory of St. Margaret's, Durham, from failing 

 health. He has the distinguished honour of being not only the 

 first Principal of the Training College for Schoolmasters in 

 Durham and Northumberland, but the first Principal of any 

 Diocesan College in the kingdom. He bore a large share in the 

 development of Elementary Education in this northern province. 

 I remember, with gratitude, when I was seeking Holy Orders, 

 he was the first to offer me a title. 



On the other hand, Mr. C. M. Adamson has been from the first 

 a most active member of our Club and has done excellent work. 

 The great Naturalist, Audubon, was among his father's friends, 

 and inscribed in Audubon's second volume we read — "To John 

 Adamson, Esq., etc., etc., with the best wishes of his faithful 

 friend, John T. Audubon," Newcastle-on-Tyne, December 17th, 

 18S4." Audubon wished to take his young friend with him to 

 America, but his father objected, as he feared it would unfit 

 him for the rest of his life. Audubon gave him eggs of the 

 Great Northern Diver, etc., perhaps to take the edge off his 

 disappointment as well as to encourage his budding taste. "What 

 wonder that with such a father and such a friend Mr. Adamson 

 loved birds? He has left us two books, the first, "Sundry 

 Natural History Scraps, more especially about Birds," 1879; 

 the second, " Some more Scraps about Birds," 1880-1. He set 

 up his own birds and made his own sketches. His first book 

 consists mostly of reprints from the "Eield," with two reprints 

 from our Transactions and some original articles. One is of 

 special interest, that on Prestwick Car. He says: — "My col- 

 lection of wading birds contains many specimens shot there." 

 His list of birds that bred at Prestwick Car makes one's mouth 

 water. This and Holy Island were his favourite spots. Other 

 articles of peculiar interest are : — One on the Colour of Birds' 

 Eggs ; another on the resemblance in Note and Song of different 

 kinds of Birds ; and another on the Protection of Wild Birds. 

 His notes on some of those kinds of foreign birds, which have 

 been described as having visited England, are very good, especi- 

 ally his anecdotes on Spotted Sand-pipers. An obituary notice 

 justly says: — "with credit to himself and satisfaction to all 



