56 Anniversary Address. 



— at least the walk was more for exercise than research. However, 

 Captain Carpenter was fortunate in procuring a white variety of 

 the Myosotis palustris, hitherto unnoticed in our district. 



"An excellent dinner was provided at the Collingwood Arms, 

 seasoned with a pleasant conversation. Mr. Hepburn contri- 

 buted an interesting paper on the Beasts and Birds of St. Abb's 

 Head. The Rev. Mr. Rigge of Howick was admitted a member; 

 and, after some discussion as to the recovery of the arrears in 

 subscriptions due, the Club separated. 



"Belford, June 11th, 1851. — This meeting was unexpectedly 

 small. Only six members attended it, viz. Dr. Johnston, Mr. 

 Embleton, Dr. Clarke, Rev. Mr. Walker, Mr. Gregson, and Mr. 

 Tate. The company breakfasted at the Hall, and after a stroll 

 through the gardens they walked along the face of the Crags 

 northwards. Two members went as far as Swinhoe Lake to see 

 what was to be seen there. The walk to younger botanists would 

 have been most fruitful. On the Crags the spindle- tree grows in 

 great profusion. We also gathered on them Anchusa sempervirens, 

 Geranium lucidum, Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, and a host of 

 other summer flowers; and in Swinhoe Loch Mr. Embleton 

 gathered many specimens of Potamogeton rufescens. 



"Mr. Tate examined the geological features of the district 

 passed over by the Club. Part of the town of Belford stands on 

 basalt, being a continuation of the range from Spindlestone and 

 Bambrough, and which, proceeding northwards, forms a series of 

 steep cliffs with basset faces to the west. At Middleton, one mile 

 north from Belford, there is an interesting section showing that 

 the basalt is a stratum interposed between limestone and sand- 

 stone beds. On the west side of the Great North Road, basalt 

 15 feet high is seen resting on blue carboniferous limestone, and 

 on the east side of the road the basalt is overlaid with 20 feet of 

 sandstone. It is remarkable that while the underlying lime- 

 stone is quite unaltered, the overlying sandstone is much indu- 

 rated at the point of contact with the basalt, exhibiting the 

 usual metamorphic influence of a fire-formed rock. These beds 

 are very undulating, — a phenomenon common in Northum- 

 berland in the neighbourhood of basalt ; the general dip is to 

 the N.E. 



" Mr. G. R. Tate extended his walk to Kyloe Crags, and exa- 

 mined this favourite haunt of our rare plants, as well as the moor- 



