PRESIDENT S ADDRESS. 21 



Shields. After electing five new members, and passing a hearty- 

 vote of thanks to the Eev. G. C. Abbs for his kindness in acting 

 as guide, and to Mr. Mallett, the superintendent of the light- 

 house, the party regretfully dispersed to wend their way, in the 

 bright moonlight, to Cleadon Lane or to Tyne Dock, to catch 

 their return train. 



Four Evening Meetings, in conjunction with the JN'atural His- 

 tory Society of i!^orthumberland, Durham, and IS'ewcastle-upon- 

 Tyne, have been held in the Museum of the ISTatural History 

 Society. All the meetings were well attended, and after the 

 conclusion of the business of each meeting tea and coffee, kindly 

 prepared under the direction of Mr. Joseph Wright, the obliging 

 keeper of the Museum, was partaken of by the members and 

 their friends. 



The First Evening Meeting took place on jN'ovember 23rd, 

 1876, when three new members were elected. 



The Right Honourable the Earl of Ravensworth communicated 

 a short memoir " On the Capercaihie [Tetrao TTrog alius, Linn.)," 

 and the attempt made to rear broods of this species at Eslington, 

 jN'orthumbeiiand, fi'om 1872 to the year 1876. 



Mr. John Hancock read a paper '' On the Occurrence of the 

 Passenger Pigeon, Columha (Octopistes) migratorta,^^ Linn., in 

 Yorkshire. 



Dr. Embletou read a paper ^' On the Coloration of Eggs,'''' and 

 exhibited a series of typical specimens of eggs. 



Mr. Thomas Atthey communicated a paper '' On Anthracosau- 

 rus Russelli,'''' Hux., and showed several geological specimens in 

 illustration. 



Mr. T. P. Barkas exhibited two scales of Ceratodiis Forsteri, 

 Krefft, from Queensland. 



Mr. Thomas Thompson exliibited a case of Partridges, a rare 

 variety of plumage, shot at Elihaugh, Northumberland, in Sep- 

 tember, 1876; also two Dotterel, mature plumage, shot on the 

 Newcastle-upon-Tyne Town Moor, in 1876. 



This variety of Partridge has occurred in Northumberland 



