414 president's address. 



In the vestry of the church at Easington is preserved, a copy of 

 the Solemn League and Covenant, bound up with the ordinary 

 parish registers. It will be remembered, that by order of the 

 Parliament in 1643, all persons throughout the kingdom of Eng- 

 land, above the age of eighteen years, were directed to sign it. 



Horden Hall is a building in which the Tudor style is seen to 

 yield to the Jacobean. It contains a fine old staircase and a 

 mantelpiece most exquisitely carved. 



On plunging into the recesses of Eox Hole Dene the members 

 had an opportunity of enjoying nature in all its wildness and 

 simplicity. If occasionally a too luxuriant vegetation impeded 

 their progress, or a treacherous footing brought some of them to 

 the ground, they saw the country as God made it, not as man 

 trims it. After having for some time had the prospect closed 

 by siuTounding trees and rank brushwood, it was refreshing at 

 length to reach the coast and gaze upon the boundless ocean. 

 After lingering a brief space upon the sea -shore, where the 

 men of the coast-guard service were going through their rocket 

 practice, we plunged into Hawthorn Dene on our way back to 

 Easington, and enjoyed to the full the romantic beauties and 

 botanical riches of this favoured spot. Mr. Pemberton kindly 

 gave us permission to roam at large through his domain, and the 

 Rev. D. M. Cust and Mr. Draper liberally laid their stores of 

 local and scientific information at the service of their companions. 



The following list of plants picked up during the day has been 

 furnished by Mr. Draper : — Ely Orchis ( Ophrys muscifera), But- 

 terfly Orchis ( Orchis bifolia), Erog Orchis ( Orchis viridis), nar- 

 row-leaved helleborine (Epipactis ensifolia), common tway-bladc 

 (Listera ovata), common star thistle ( Centaurea calcitrapa), wood 

 crane's bill (Geranium sylvaticum), herb Paris (Paris quadrifolia), 

 water avens ( Geum rwale), dyers' weed ( Genista tmctoria), com- 

 mon butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris), Lepidium draba; this plant 

 was found on the ballast at Seaham Station : wild celery (Apium 

 graveolens), small marsh valerian ( Valeriana dioica), stone crop 

 (Sedum acre), melancholy thistle (Car dims heterophyllus). 



The ornithologists of the party had as much reason to be gra- 

 tified as the botanists, the following birds cheering them by their 



