38 Report of Meetings for 1885. By Jas. Hardy. 



farther the Rubi extend up the Coquet is worth inquiry. They 

 are not everywhere. The foliage of Scrophularia nodosa was 

 over-run with the slimy slug-like larvse of Clonus Scrophularia, 

 but there were no perfect beetles. The moor-edges at Addy- 

 combe are frequented by adders. We crossed the hill-road 

 which has fir-plantings on both sides, and looked down and 

 across on Cragside woods and stables. Trientalis Europcea, 

 Anemone nemorosa and Carex binervis grew among the heather in 

 the plantations ; and Senecio sylvaticus lower down. There was 

 a blaze of flowering Rhododendrons on a crag to the west, which 

 comes into view from the heights above Cragside, like a far-off 

 mountain rosary. Debdon burn and moor are here surrounded 

 by heathy hills ; the middle and highest one is Cartington pike. 

 Proceeding forward by the Alnwick road we entered at the lodge 

 and were conducted through the house containing the machinery, 

 and had it explained, by which the electric stream is generated 

 to illuminate the mansion, and that Sir William shewed the Club 

 in action on the subsequent daj r , and we also tested the tele- 

 phone. This building is situated at the edge of the upper ponds 

 on Debdon burn. The Grey Flycatcher rose repeatedly after 

 flies, and numerous common Willow Wrens were striving with 

 each other which should be most active in capturing insects. 

 This is also a haunt of the Sedge Warbler. Both Thrush and 

 Blackbird were piping loudly ; the Cuckoo's voice was heard 

 intermittently ; and every now and then single Wood-pigeons 

 flew out spontaneously, rising and falling above their nesting- 

 places, symptoms of undisturbed tranquillity. The Typha is 

 planted beside the pond. There was much broom in blossom. 

 The twinkling foliage of the poplars and birches is cool and 

 enlivening. In passing we looked into the gardens and green 

 houses, and the fernery, and inspected critically the constituents 

 of the flower borders, and the many forms of Coniferee with 

 which the grounds are enriched. As we approached the town 

 Chelidonium majus, single-flowered, was noted by a walk-side. 

 Pink and purple single rockets are favourites in cottage gardens. 

 We had expected to have had a look at a five pronged leister at 

 a cottage, but it had been converted into a "potato-grape." 

 There was one period when prodigious slaughter of the 

 Salrnonidse was carried on here in close time with leisters, while 

 " Burning the water." The "lunt," or light was carried on a 

 three-pronged fork called a "crotch," or "crutch." The mug- 



