pbesident's abdeess. 425 



party included Lake Side, Stock Gill Force, Elter Water, the 

 valley of the Langdales, Dungeon Ghyl, Grassmere, Keswick, 

 Lodoro, Buttermere Valley, and Scale Force. The weather, and 

 the lateness of the season, did not allow of much botanizing or 

 other Natural History pursuits, but as the party were amply 

 provided with garments waterproof, their personal enjoyment of 

 the Lake district traversed was not otherwise seriously impaired, 

 indeed, the long continued previous rains, caused some of the 

 special natural featiires of the district to be seen at the greatest 

 advantage. 



Most of the Ferns of Lakeland, and a number of the Club- 

 Mosses, were seen in their natural habitats — many of the Labur- 

 nums were seen to be in second bloom — only a few birds were 

 observed, as several Carrion Crows near Elter Water, a Buzzard 

 soaring far overhead, but of most interest perhaps, was an im- 

 mense flock of Housemartins, congregating at Bowness, prepara- 

 tory to their autumnal migration. ^Notwithstanding the weather 

 those present expressed themselves to have enjoyed this late and 

 distant excursion to their heart's content, returning safely from 

 Keswick on the Monday evening. 



The Last Meetikg of the year was held at Boker for a walk 

 to Whitburn and Marsden. Four or five members were present, 

 and tiiey report that they had very fine weather and an enjoy- 

 able walk along the picturesque coast that extends from the 

 Wear to the Tyne. The first object of attraction was the almost 

 unique natural section of the botryoidal and cannon- ball lime- 

 stone exposed in the clifE a little towards the north of Boker. 

 This spot is classical, as it was visited and described by Prof. 

 Sedgwick in the early part of the century, and has been visited 

 and puzzled many observers, scientific and otherwise, by the 

 striking and peculiar structure exhibited by this limestone. 

 Though the present shape is a conglomeration of small balls 

 attached to each other in a greater or less degree in one of the 

 beds, and an accumulation of large rounded or sphex'ieal masses 

 resembling large-eized cannon-balls, it cannot be supposed that 

 these shapes were the original form of the deposit. These balls 



2c 



