president's address. i8i 



Another set of eggs was similar, but neither brown nor blue 

 were so intense. Ring Dotterels were not observed, but no 

 doubt we were too late to see any eggs. 



Time now pressed, as some members desired to catch the 

 earlier train, so again we set sail with a fair wind, and reached 

 Seahouses with a no more serious occurrence than the loss of 

 a hat, which in putting about was carried away by the boom. 



There are few notable nesting places of birds in Great 

 Britain which I have not visited, but I know of no place more 

 interesting than the Fame Islands — not from the number of 

 birds, which can be very greatly exceeded — but from the great 

 variety to be found on these small islands or rocks. 



Mr. Hancock, in his introduction to his " Birds of North- 

 umberland and Durham," enumerates the following as having 

 nested on the Islands : — Ring Dotterel, Oyster Catcher, Lesser 

 Black-backed Gull, Herring Gull, Kittiwake Gull, Sandwich 

 Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Roseate Tern, Cormorant, 

 Shag, Eider Duck, Guillemot, Puffin, and Razor-bill. 



I have myself verified the nesting of the following additional 

 birds: — Rock Pipit, regularly; Jackdaw, commonly; Shiel- 

 drake. Hedge Sparrow, Heron, Carrion Crow, and Lapwing, 

 probably accidentally or only occasionally. 



The following birds have also been observed on or in the 

 vicinity of the Islands during the nesting season : — King 

 Eider, Great Black-backed Gull, Manx Shearwater, and 

 Tufted Duck. 



Botanists were well represented in the party. The most of 

 these visited the Islands, but a smaller section journeyed 

 along the coast in the direction of Budle Bay. Amongst the 

 plants noticed by those who visited the Islands were the 

 following : — 



Sea Campion, Silene maritima. 

 Danish Scurvy Grass, Cochlearia Danica. 

 Common Sea-milkwort, Glaux mariti?na. 

 Small Bugloss, Anchusa Aritensis. 

 Purple Sea Rocket, Cakile maritima. 



