44 DR JOHNSTON'S ADDRESS. 



more astonished the natives of this rude hamlet, which, I may remind 

 you, is the birth-place of one of our members, who, I dare say, blushed 

 when ho told the secret, not because it revealed the tale of 50 years 

 that were gone, but it is sad to find no cause of boast or pride in our 

 native home. The meeting was a good one, and the weather propi 

 tious. There were present Dr Johnston, P. J. Selby, Esq., Dr Clarke, 

 Dr Douglas, Rev. Dr Gilly, Mr Melrose, Rev. J. D. Clarke, Mr Mac- 

 beath, Mr Home, Thomas Tancred, Esq. and Wni. Murray, Esq. The 

 business of the forenoon was a stroll down the steep banks of the Tweed, 

 which here makes many a sinuous bend, and is the principal feature in 

 some fine landscape ; then up HorcUff deane to renew our acquaintance 

 with its ruined cottages and their umbrageous elms, its most picturesque 

 mill, the little burn, the overhanging rocks topped with trees and sloe- 

 thorn, and hung with tracery of honeysuckle and ivy on one side, and with 

 a dense moss on the other, through which the cool waters trickled in a 

 sparkling shower. There was a strong wish expressed to have a sketch 

 made of the scene to adorn the Club's Transactions, and the Rev. Dr Gilly 

 afterwards kindly undertook to have one made for this purpose. The party 

 now returned to the banks of the Tweed, along which they sauntered, sur- 

 rounded with beauty, and wading in the balmiest atmosphere, as far as 

 Norham Castle, the ruins of which were examined. During this walk 

 the Ranunculus auricomus was gathered on the wooded banks below 

 the Castle, growing with Viola hirta and other more common plants. 

 Several insects were captured from amidst the myriads that were flitting 

 around ; and an orange-tipped butterfly fPontia cardaminesj was seen 

 for the first time in the season. A white-throat (Carruca cinereaj 

 was heard amid a thicket of sloes covered w4th a white sheet of blos- 

 soms, and which had undoubtedly newly arrived from its winter quarters, 

 for it was the first that Mr Selby had heard. A vast number of minute 

 beetles of several species were observed on our return from Norham 

 Castle, clustered on sticks, straws, and stems and leaves of plants, grow- 

 ing at the water's edge — forced up to the parts projecting out of the 

 water by the wpward flow of the tide, and giving a useful hint to the 

 collector of the times when his bunt would be most successful. 



The whole party reassembled at half-past 3 o'clock to a neat and sub- 

 stantial dinner, that laid a pleasant foundation on which to raise the af- 

 ternoon's talk, which every one seemed to enjoy and partake of. After the 

 minutes of the previous meeting had been read and corrected, Mr Selby 

 exhibited two specimens of the Scotch Fir, which illustrated, in a very 

 striking and beautiful manner, the mutation of the leaves into cones. 



