Proceedings of Societies. 307 



siders it acts as a counter-irritant on the alimentary canal — Communicated by 

 Mr Foote, one of the Secretaries. 



Provincial. 

 Tweedside Physical and Antiquarian Society — This society, establish- 

 ed at Kelso in the year 1834, has for its principal object the study of the natu- 

 ral history and antiquities of the district traversed by the Tweed and its tributa- 

 ry streams. The members are engaged in establishing a museum, in which are 

 to be preserved specimens illustrative of those branches of science ; all expen- 

 diture of the society's funds being restricted to such objects as belong to the lo- 

 cality to which its attention is chiefly directed, though the reception of donations 

 of other specimens and curiosities generally is not considered as excluded by the 

 society's plan. Among its present acquisitions is a Herbarium, containing by 

 far the greater portion of the plants occurring in the district, and upon which 

 was founded the Berwick Flora of Dr Johnston ; besides a collection of upwards 

 of 400 specimens of grasses and other plants, distinguished for their economical 

 uses or their connection with agriculture. The collection of native birds, which 

 is daily on the increase, amounts at present to about 200 in number, and in- 

 cludes several which are rarely met with in the locality, such as the Falco pe- 

 regrinus, F. aesalon, Caprimulgus Europeus, Lanius excubitor, Bombycilla 

 garrula, Loxia curvirostra, Picus major, Anas glacialis, A. ferina, A. acuta, 

 Anser bemicla, Mergus albellus, &c. Some of the most interesting of the na- 

 tive quadrupeds have been preserved, and there is a small collection of shells, 

 with a moderately extensive one of minerals and fossils. The museum also pos- 

 sesses a few valuable books relating to the sciences, the study of which it is in- 

 tended to promote ; the nucleus of a collection of British coins ; and various cu- 

 riosities and antiquities, both general and local. It is supported chiefly by dona- 

 tions, and by a small annual subscription of 10s. 6d. from each member. The 

 members are 84 in number, and may be classed as follows : nobility and gen- 

 try, 33 ; clerical, 8 ; medical, 8 ; legal, 8 ; mercantile and agricultural, 27. Sir 

 Thomas Makdougal Brisbane of Makerstoun, K. C. B., &c. is the president for 

 the current year. The general meetings take place once a quarter, at which essays 

 and communications are received and read ; and the museum is open for gratuitous 

 inspection thrice a week. A new building will probably be provided at no dis- 

 tant period, to be specially appropriated to the purposes of the society, a portion of 



the requisite funds having already been contributed His Grace the Duke of 



Roxburghe has been engaged for two or three years past, in the formation of a col- 

 lection of British birds at his seat of Fleurs, Roxburghshire. The specimens, male 

 and female, amount at present to nearly 400 in number, and include some of con- 

 siderable rarity, either as residents or as regular or occasional visitants. Amongst 

 them are (Accipitres) Strix bubo, S. scops, S. nyctea, S. passerina, Falco Islan- 

 dicus, Pernis apivorus, &c. ; fRassoresJ Cypselus alpinus, Pastor roseus, Oriolus 

 galbula, Upupa epops, Merops apiaster ; ( ScansoresJ Picus martius, Yunx tor- 

 quilla, Nucifraga caryocatactes, Coracias garrula; ( Gr allot) Ardea egretta, A. 

 nycticorax, A. minuta, Recur virostra avocetta, Ibis falcinellus, Tringa pugnax, 

 Oidicnemus crepitans, Otis tarda, Himantopus melanopterus, Scolopax major; 

 (Palmipedes) Anas spectabilis, Cygnus ferus, Colymbus glacialis, (killed near 

 Fleurs,) Anser erythropus, &c. The museum is tastefully and judiciously fitted 



