Address of the President. 29 



that a countiy could be most advantageously so explored ; and 

 that besides the utility of such investigation, parties were 

 brought together and kindred tastes kindled and encouraged ; 

 and so was founded the Berwicksliire Naturalists Club. This 

 has continued until now with some waves of success and 

 depression ; it has accumulated a large amount of local infor- 

 mation, circulated by means of "Transactions," which are 

 quoted and looked up to as the most reliable authority for 

 subjects within their range. It is curious that Scotland, 

 generally so ready to take up whatever is really useful, should 

 not have availed herself of the border hint, but that southward 

 similar Societies have raised themselves and prospered, doing 

 a large amount of useful outdoor work and having a large com- 

 munity of members. It gives me satisfaction, then, to think 

 that this and the neighbouring county have at length come 

 forward, and that while, on the one hand, they have acted on 

 the old plan of winter meetings to read papers and discuss the 

 subjects there introduced, they have at the same time com- 

 bined outdoor summer excursions. A most wise arrangement, 

 and if, in future years, conducted with energy and system, we 

 shall ere very long do much to record the present as well as 

 to recall some of the past history of these counties. 



The range that this Society has undertaken is of large 

 extent and importance, and there is, perhaps, no district in 

 Scotland that can surpass it in variety and interest. A 

 country stretching from a sea-shore to an elevation of above 

 3000 feet must possess a wide zoological and botanical range, 

 while the surface and natural characters of the countiy itseK 

 are extremely varied, and include rich cultivated lands and 

 lowland woods; moss and muir, and natural woods of the 

 wildest description ; sea-shore low, sandy, sludgy, rugged and 

 precipitious ; lochs lowland as weU as upland and alpine ; 

 its ancient history rich in antiquarian remains, and in 

 monastic, feudal, and border traditions. 



The value of a Society such as ours in recording the 



