Dr. Wm. Baird on the late Dr. R. D. Thomson. 133 



of the river. The house of Mr. Jerdan, where the Cluh 

 breakfasted, stands within the bounds of the Roman town. 



Nishet, where the club are to dine, is the birthplace of the 

 eminent divine, Samuel Rutherford. 



Obituary Notice of Dr. Robert Dundas Thomson, F.R.S., Sfc. 

 By William Baird, M.D. 



When the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club was founded, the 

 original members numbered nine. The obituary notices 

 in the Proceedings have already recorded the death of four, 

 and we have now the melancholy duty of adding the name 

 of a fifth. 



Dr. Robert Dundas Thomson, the member who has recently 

 departed from amongst us, was the second son of the late 

 Rev. James Thomson, D.D., for many years minister of the 

 parish of Eccles, in Berwickshire, and was born in the year 

 1811. 



The old manse of Eccles was a very different building from 

 the commodious and handsome house now standing in its 

 place. Part of it, the kitchen, was covered with thatch, and 

 a spark from the chimney falling upon it one day, set fire to 

 the dry roof. Fanned by a strong breeze, the blaze was soon 

 communicated to the rest of the building, and speedily the 

 old house was reduced to ashes. In this venerable house 

 four of our original members were born ; the late Rev. J. 

 Baird, the late Rev. A. Baird, the writer of this notice, and 

 the subject of it, Dr. Thomson. 



Robert was destined by his parents for the medical profes- 

 sion, and he soon shewed in addition to his devotion to his 

 medical studies, a great love for the Natural sciences, especi- 

 ally Botany, Mineralogy, and Geology. He commenced his 

 medical education in the University of Edinburgh, but his 

 uncle, the celebrated chemist. Dr. Thomas Thomson, being 

 at that time Professor of Chemistry in the University ot 

 Glasgow, he was subsequently transferred to that seat of 

 learning, and under the auspices of his uncle, soon became a 

 proficient chemist. At this ancient college he took his 

 degree of M.D,, and soon afterwards entered the East India 

 Company's Maritime Service, as assistant surgeon of the ship 

 "Duchess of Athol." He had only made one voyage to 

 India and China, when the Charter of the East India Com- 

 pany as a trading body, was withdrawn from them, and the 



