PEESIDENT S ADDRESS. 



Up to this time the party had reDiained together. In conse- 

 quence, however, of having received permission from Henry 

 Bacon Grey, Esq., of Styford, for the members to be free to 

 ramble, according to their inclination, one portion selected to 

 wander up the river bed, while the others preferred the open 

 country. The former again and again encountered difficulty 

 from the huge rocks which intercepted their path, and which 

 obliged them to diverge into the steejo and densely wooded 

 banks. However, they were not discontented with their toil, 

 for the scenery was of the most enchanting and interesting de- 

 scription. The views were picturesque and romantic, the wind- 

 ing stream forming many beautiful bays and peninsulas, bounded 

 by rocks and hanging woods, which afforded a multitude of little 

 solemn and secluded retreats, through which the waters mur- 

 mured. Those who selected the open country wended their 

 way through a grove of trees, where the naturalists proper 

 betook themselves to JN'ature's own nooks, those shady and se- 

 questered spots where valued plants vainly try to hide them- 

 selves. The Oak Fern, Polypodhim Bryoi^teris, was in great 

 perfection. The woods were reluctantly left, and the fields 

 were recrossed and again a halt was made, when "W. H. Charl- 

 ton, Esq., much to the satisfaction of all, again expatiated on 

 the topography of the situation. On the north, as the most 

 striking feature, he pointed out the ''"Whin Sill," an intrusive 

 bed of igneous rock, which in some places reaches a height vary- 

 ing from eight hundred to a thousand feet above the sea level, 

 forming a decided ridge from west to cast, jilong the top of 

 this ridge the Roman Wall is carried, following the irregulari- 

 ties of the ridge with pertinacious adherence. The Nine Mcks 

 of Thirlwell, "Wall Town Crags, Cock Mount, and Sewing Shiels, 

 were also denoted. "With the regret of this contingent, the 

 Messieurs Charlton then took their leave, and entered their car- 

 riage, which was in waiting. The high road was then taken, 

 the botanists, by the way, making additions to their collections. 

 As tested, either by the number of species or individuals, the 

 boreal element of the Elora is considerably smaller than in 

 Weardale, and still more so than in Tcesdale. The principal 



B 



