774 Note on Caddonlee School and the Nest, by Mr J. Smail. 



of mice is an evil of severe magnitude to the farmers where the pest 

 prevails, and that if possible some remedy should he found and applied with- 

 out delay. 



One of the members of the Club's committee, a large pastoral farmer, and 

 who has himself partially suffered from the incursions of the mice, gave it as 

 his opinion that they had been nourished to their present strength and means 

 of mischief doing by the peculiar character of recent winters. For four or 

 five years back there has been no black frost on the hills. Frosty weather 

 has prevailed, and sometimes been of long duration, but it has always been 

 preceeded by heavy snowfall, which has kept the mice in life all winter ; 

 whereas, were the ground unprotected by snow, a keen frost would penetrate 

 into the earth as deep as their holes, and destroy them, if not entirely, at least 

 in great numbers. Their holes are not more than six inches deep, for they are 

 indifferent burrowers, and the frost would bind the earth as far as that, The 

 only difficulty the committee had in reference to this theory was the doubt 

 that the frost, however keen, would reach to the utmost verge of the retreats 

 of the mice. 



Note on Caddonlee School and the Nest. By Mr James 

 Smail. 



I find that the school in which Leyden taught at Clovenfords, 

 stands on Caddonlee ground at Caddon Mill, some 200 or 300 

 yards from Clovenfords. It is a very dilapidated thatched house, 

 called "The Luggie," and is on the edge of the road. We, 

 therefore, passed it on our drive away from Clovenfords. 



The new Nest near Ashiesteel was built a few years ago, by a 

 company of Waltonians, mostly hailing from Edinburgh. Every 

 man brings his own provisions ; and over these and the usual 

 fluid accompaniments, the members, it is understood, make very 

 pleasant evenings, and the "runs" of the day are talked over 

 with hearty relish. The Eobin's Nest, at Eairnalee, was long- 

 tenanted by the same club, and this abode was left by the mem- 

 bers with much regret. The club has numbered several men of 

 note ; and they have, at times, published both prose and verse of 

 an enjoyable sort. The Eobin's Nest is now occupied by a 



[This information arrived too late to be incorporated with the 

 "Eeport."— J. H.] 



