u 



of the Club — the way in which we may hope most successfully 

 to conduct our labours, the way, also, in which we may best 

 deal with the results obtained. 



The plan which has been of late adopted respecting the 

 excursions may, I think, still be kept to, viz., that of having 

 from four to six (as judged desirable) field-days in the year, when 

 we may hope for the largest attendance of members, the 

 attendance of those especially who, from their professional 

 engagements or other business, are unable to attend oftener, 

 and more frequent meetings — weekly or fortnightly, as 

 preferred — of the few who may wish, and who have it in their 

 power, to join in a common ramble on the days appointed. 

 On all these occasions the party, as I observed before, might 

 either keep together, or break up into sections,, for more 

 unrestrained work in their respective departments, re-uniting 

 at the end of the day, as thought convenient. The places to 

 be visited on the field-days, and the objects in view, should be 

 arranged beforehand, and notice of the same suspended, as now, 

 at the Literary and Scientific Institution, for the information 

 of all. The directions which the walks may take on other 

 days may be left to be fixed at the time by those who join in 

 them, and they may carry out any plan, for the occasion, they 

 please. Only I should hope they would always remember 

 they are to use their influence in promoting any inquiries 

 which may add to our knowledge of this neighbourhood in 

 respect of the objects for which the Club is formed, and lay 

 their results before it at its appointed sittings. To-day is the 

 first occasion on which the Club has ever met for the reading 

 of papers, independent of its ordinary quarterly meetings for 

 mere routine business, and a question has sometimes been 

 raised at these latter meetings as to the best way of bringing 

 before the public any communications made to the Club 

 which may deserve to have a wider circulation. On each of 

 these points I will make a few remarks. The practice of the 

 Berwickshire Club, I believe, with respect to papers, has been to 

 have such as may have been prepared beforehand by any of the 

 members read at the termination of each day's excursion, these 

 excursions being five in the year; — and then, at the end of the 

 year, the retiring President delivers an address, giving a general 

 summary of what has been done, with a notice of the difierent 

 places visited, at each meeting. This address, along with a 

 selection of the papers read as above, furnishes matter for a 

 yearly number of their Transactions, enough being collected 

 in time in this way to make up a volume, which is printed by 

 the Club for the use of its own members. I should say that 

 all these papers, in respect of the subjects treated of, are more 

 or less connected with the district, which forms the field of 

 the Club's labours. It may be long before our Club arrives at 



