194 Anniversary Address. 



discoveries. Mr Archd. Jerdon has been fortunate enough to 

 add one new plant to the district, viz., Euphorbia dulcis, 

 found by him at Langlee, near Jedburgh ; and Mr Robert 

 Middlemas has been so successful as to add another in Blasia 

 pusilla, found at Careburn, near Wooler. There have been, 

 in addition, many new stations discovered for plants, hitherto 

 considered rare in the district. You will also be glad to hear 

 that, in the branch of Entomology, much has been done by our 

 most persevering and ardent member, Mr Hardy, of Old- 

 cambus. He has, in his explorations in the neighbourhood 

 of Wooler — but principally on the Cheviot hills — discovered 

 many new species of Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Spiders, not 

 only to the district, but I believe veritably new to science. 



I must not neglect to describe a very remarkable and severe 

 thunder storm that occurred on Wednesday, 12th July, in a 

 tract of country lying in Roxburghshire, and running up the 

 Kale water from Ormiston to Linton Burnfoot. It com- 

 menced about four o'clock by heavy rain, accompanied by 

 thunder and lightning. The rain increased to such an ex- 

 tent that it became a veritable water-spout ; the water run- 

 ning past my house, on the road, to the depth of two feet. 

 This continued till six o'clock, when it began to hail, which 

 also continued about two hours. Very few of the hail-stones 

 were smaller than a boy's marble ; and they caused much 

 destruction to growing crops, especially to turnips and po- 

 tatoes. The breakage to glass in greenhouses was very 

 great. Even next morning, my steward measured the hail- 

 stones lying to the depth of eighteen inches, where they had 

 been thrown to the side of the road. The rainfall during 

 the four hours was registered at Linton Burnfoot, by Mr 

 Purves, to be about two inches. 



An instance of the great pugnacity of the Kingfisher in 

 the breeding season, is worthy of mention. Two of these 

 birds were captured in a very curious manner, in the spring, 

 near Heiton Mill, Kelso. Two males were seen to be fight- 

 ing with each other, and so intent were they with their 

 quarrel, that they allowed themselves to be taken by a boy 

 with his hands. 



