244 Anniversary Address. 



Europea was found in flower in a bare spot. The common 

 wild Hyacinth was also in full flower, making the woods 

 here and there resplendent with its azure hue. But generally 

 speaking the woods and fields were bare and barren, owing 

 to the previous un genial weather, and even the Hawthorn 

 had not, as yet, expanded its blossoms. 



The second field-meeting of the year took place at Earlston, 

 on the 28th June, when between twenty and thirty members 

 appeared at breakfast, at the village inn — an excellent 

 hostelry. 



After breakfast a long and interesting paper on Earlston — 

 its history, legends, and objects of interest — was read by Mr. 

 Tait, of Kelso; the members thereafter proceeded to view 

 the remains of the tower, which belonged to Thomas the 

 Rhymer, of which only a very sniall portion now remains. 



The party then divided — a few proceeding by rail to 

 Gordon station, on the Berwickshire line, and thence towards 

 Mellerstain, in the hope of finding the Linncea horealis, which 

 had formerly been discovered in that vicinity ; and the greater 

 number ascending the hill of Cowdenknowes — well known 

 in Scottish song, and famous in olden time for the quantity 

 and size of the broom it produced. 



The botanical party were successful in their search, and 

 rediscovered a large patch of the Linncea in full flower, in 

 the exact locality where it had formerly been found. This 

 Berwickshire station is the most southern one known for this 

 plant of northern regions, except another at Hartburn, in 

 Northumberland. A considerable quantity of Listera cordata 

 — rather a rare plant — was also found in the same plantation. 



The party that ascended the hill were rewarded by a 

 beautiful view of the valleys of the Tweed and Leader, and 

 also made an important geological discovery, having found 

 in a sandstone quarry on the side of the hill, fossil remains — 

 viz., scales of the Holoptychius Nolilissimus — which proved 

 it to be the old red sandstone, here underlying the porphyry 

 of which the mass of the Cowdenknowes is composed. 



After dinner, the achievements of the day were reported, 



