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Ail Address to the Berwichshire Naturalists' Club. By the Rev. Thomas 

 E.IDDELL, President, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, 

 {Read at the Anniversary Meeting held at Holy Island, September 

 29, 1840.) 



Gentlemen, 



The meetings of our Club have always been marked with, so much 

 that is delightful at the time, and agreeable in retrospect, that you 

 will readily believe me when I express my regret that I am prevented 

 by engagements at a distance from attending and addressing you in 

 person, when resigning the office in which your kindness has placed 

 me. 



It may be remarked, in reference to the pleasure we have enjoyed 

 in our periodical excursions, that we have very seldom found the wea- 

 ther so unfavourable as to prevent us from sallying forth and obtaining 

 some reward for our exertions. As the days of meetings are fixed 

 long beforehand, this strongly attests the great preponderance of 

 favourable weather in our part of the island — a circumstance which 

 persons are not generally inclined to admit till it be thus forced on 

 their conviction. I proceed to the minutes of our transactions during 

 the past year. 



The Anniversary was held at Milfield (18th September), and was 

 well attended. Present, Rev. T. Knight, President, Mr Selby, Mr 

 Darling, Drs Johnston, Clarke, and F. Douglas, Eev. Messrs J. Baird, 

 H. Parker, and T. Eiddell; and Rev. H. S. Templeton, a visitor. 

 For several days previous the weather liad been very showery, and 

 remarkably cold for the season. On Saturday and Sunday the 14th 

 and 15th, a very great quantity of rain fell, accompanied by an east- 

 erly wind. On the 15th, all the rivers and streams in the country 

 were swollen much beyond their usual bounds. In many places the 

 banks were overflowed, and the water rushed with great impetuosity 

 over the haugh lands, and did much damage by sweeping away entire 

 fields of corn in some places, and in cutting up and otherwise destroy- 

 ing the pastures in others. The new bridge in progress of erection 

 near Norham was carried away by the weight of the water and of corn 

 pressing upon it, while the centering was still standing. This circum- 

 stance will serve to distinguish the flood in the memory of the 

 neighbouring inhabitants for many years to come. The 18th was not 

 very favourable for the pursuit of objects of natural history. The 

 weather was showery, but at intervals the sun shone brightly. Few 

 or no insects were on the wing ; most of the wild flowers had ceased 

 to blow ; and nothing remarkable was observed among the feathered 

 tribes, with the exception of a redstart seen at a farm-onstead at a 

 short distance from Milfield village. The party directed their course 



