MR selby's address. 35 



tions and pursuits, and that the advancement of science and knowledge, 

 however limited in degree, is the principal object, and the ultimate 

 aim, of our association. At this meeting we were favoured with 

 communications, connected with zoology, botany, and meteorology. 

 In the iirst department, Dr Johnston gave excellent descriptions of two 

 species of the genus BelpJiinus, viz., the Belphinus phocmia (common 

 Porpesse,), and the Delphinm melas or deductor (Ca'ing whale). His 

 account, which embraced the anatomy and peculiarities of structure 

 observable in these marine animals, was further illustrated by beauti- 

 ful figures and drawings from the pencil of his amiable lady. The 

 occurrence of the Fhalaropus lobatus, a rare British bird, was also 

 mentioned as having been killed within the precincts of our district ; 

 and a rare moth,* from the wooded glen of the Pease Burn. A list of 

 localities of rare plants was furnished by our accomplished coadjutrix 

 Miss Bell ; and a second list of the same nature was also read by Dr 

 Thomson, who added three species of fungi to the cryptogamic cata- 

 logue of the district. The same gentleman favoured the Club with an 

 analysis of a ball of iron-pyrites found near Eyemouth. The business 

 of this meeting was concluded by a paper from the pen of Mr William 

 Baird, who delighted the assembled members by his admirable and 

 poetic description of the Aurora Borealis, as it had appeared on various 

 evenings during the late autumnal and winter months. Upon one 

 occasion he adverts to a noise he heard during the brightest corrusca- 

 tions of the meteor, resembling, as he describes it, the gushing of a 

 sudden breeze among trees, or the noise produced by the quick flight 

 of a bird overhead. This peculiar sound, he adds, was heard the same 

 evening by other observers in the neighbourhood; but whether it 

 actually originated with, and was caused by the aurora, or proceeded 

 from some other extraneous source (though nothing occurred at the 

 time to account otherwise for its production), he ventures not to decide, 

 knowing that a discrepancy of opinion exists upon this point, which 

 can only be set at rest by repeated and long-continued observation of 

 the phenomena. I need scarcely recall to the recollection of those who 

 attended the Spring Meeting, the pleasant and instructive day we 

 passed at Abbey St. Bathan's, so sweetly situated upon the secluded 

 and quiet banks of the silvery Whitadder, where, while some amused 

 themselves, with dexterous art and well-trimmed flies, in deceiving 

 the finny tenants of that limpid stream, othei"S resorted to the woods 

 and fields in search of Flora's treasures, or those insect tribes which, 

 recalled to life and activity by the revivifying influence of the season 

 had ah-eady quitted their hybernacular retreats. Several specimens of 

 a trout were taken, in form and character analogous to the Orange fin 

 of the Tweed, which there is every reason to believe is the fry of the 

 Salmo Trutta of authors, the common sea-trout of most of our northern 



* Hipparchns Papilionarins, taken by Mr WilHam Dunlop. 



