18 Anniversary Address. 



or * termination.' " (Old Statistical account, XIV., 512.) Mr. 

 Spottisvvode, about the same period, according to Chalmers, 

 traced it from the " British strength, called the Haerfaulds, 

 on a hill two miles north-west of Spottiswode, throughout 

 the country to the vicinity of Berwick, at which time it was 

 in various places very discernible. In the ascertained track, 

 of this ancient fence are several British strengths, situated as 

 usual on their several heights," as at Chesters in Fogo parish, 

 the fort called Black-castle-rings near Dogdenmoss, near 

 which a silver chain was found many years ago and given to 

 the last Earl of Marchmont,* and on our way back to Blythe 

 we observed the faint traces of a strength not far from the 

 farm house. 



The two parties met again at the farm. The late tenant 

 Sandie Stewart, appears to have been a character, and many 

 good stories are current regarding him. Driving back to 

 Lauder, the museum of a local naturalist was inspected. 

 Walter Simson is the shepherd at the castle, and has collected 

 a goodly number of birds, chiefly native, and some few exotic, 

 together with some mammals and specimens of various sorts. 

 Among the animals from the neighbourhood were good 

 examples of a polecat, an otter, a white hare, &c, and of the 

 birds, a fine buzzard from Edgarshope, a merlin, a hobby, a 

 little auk, a Canadian goose, a dotterel, &c, all killed near 

 Lauder. The Rev. Mr. Middleton, the clergyman of the parish, 

 favoured the Club with his company at dinner. No papers 

 were read, and after proposing Messrs. Romanes, Broomfield, 

 Dr. Robertson,and the Rev. Jas. Middleton as new members, 

 the party broke up highly gratified with the day's proceedings. 



I cannot close this account of the meeting without express- 

 ing my thanks to Mr. Romanes for the assistance he has given 



* I have been informed by our fellow member, the Kev. J. Walker, of Green- 

 law, that this chain was found in the dyke near Greenlaw by a woman, and was 

 so black and oxidized that she gave it to the smith named Matheson, thinking 

 it to be iron. It lay in the smithy for some time, till Matheson took it to repair 

 the rig-widdy or chain of a cart-harness, when its true nature was discovered, 

 aud it was sent to Lord Marchmont, who died in 1794. The son of the smith is 

 still at Greenlaw. 



