im LOCAL FIKLIJ-CLUBS OF GliEAT BRITAIN. 151
which it contained, — a position wiiicU has been ably maintained by the succeeding volumes. It contained a summary of the proceedings during 1846-50, with a catalogue of the insects of Northuniberhand and Durham, by Messrs. J. Hardy and T. J. Bold ; of the mollusca, by Joseph Alder ; of the fossils of the Permian system, by Richard Howse ; and various shorter papers of equal value and interest. Many insects new to Britain, and even to science, were first published and described in these Transac- tions, which may be looked upon as the most important contribution made by any Society to the knowledge of the Natural History of Great Britain.
The Club continued in its useful career for many years uninterrupted by any events which require special notice here. Fortunate in having for its officers men of undoidjted ability, who were willing to devote them- selves in no ordinary degree to the advancement of science, it is not to be wondered at that the Society maintained the advanced position which it had taken up at its commencement. All who have had anything to do with a local body of this description know how important it is that a fit- ting President and Secretary should be secured; and the names of those who have filled these posts in the Tyneside Club are ample guarantees that nothing further could be desired in these respects.
In 1864 an arrangement was made between the Club and the old- established Natural History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and Nevvcastle-upon-Tyne, by which the then members of the former were re- cognized as associates of the latter; those who subsequently joined the club paying 5s. entrance fee in addition to their subscription. The Transactions of the Chib, of which six volumes had appeared, sul)se- quently adopted the title of the 'Natural History Transactions of Nortli- umberland and Durham.' Of this new series three volumes are pub- lished, that which most concerns us being the ' Flora of Northumberland and Durham,' by Mr. Baker and Dr. Tate, which has been fully noticed in these pages.* The various catalogues are still in course of publication, the last volume containing a paper on the " Crustacean Fauna of the Salt Marshes," and a "Catalogue of the Aculeate Hymenoptera" of the two counties.
The actual number of members at present enrolled is 5 57 ; the Pre- sident is G. S. Brady, Esq., and the Secretaries, Thomas Thompson and P. M orison, Esqrs. It is much to be desired that the Natural History Societies of our larger towns would take the Tyneside Club as an example of what such bodies ought to be, and would endeavour especially to do a similar service to science by the publication of equally important and useful transactions.
The following are the titles of the botanical papers, exclusive of short notes, which have appeared in the Transactions of the Club : —
Vol. I. " On Extcmsive Fissures observed in Stems of two living aiul healthy Trees of Spruce Fir." By Ralph Carr, Esq.
Vol. II. An Enumeration of Plants, Iiuligeuous and Naturalized, oc- curring within five miles of Newcastlc-upon-Tvue." By John Storev, F.B.S'.E.
Vol. III. " On the Efl'ects of the Severe Winter of 1854-5 upon'Evcr-
green Vegetation in the North of England." By Ralph Carr. — Abstract,
etc., of a Paper entitled "Observations on the Growth in Diameter of
Dicotyledonous (Exogenous) Stems." By D. Oliver, jun. With Plate. —
- ' Jonvuul of'Eotuny,' Vol. YI. p. 286.
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