192 On supposed Lake or River Terraces, near Kelso. 



All along the foot of the lake, or river, bank, the ground 

 is of a marshy description. The Duke of Roxburghe already 

 mentioned carried out extensive draining operations upon it 

 within the memory of persons still living, and it is recorded 

 in several valuable reports connected with Kelso Dispensary, 

 prepared by Dr. Charles Wilson (formerly of Kelso, but now 

 of Edinburgh, whose pen has supplied several able and 

 learned contributions to the " Proceedings"), that cases of 

 ague, which had formerly been of frequent occurrence, had 

 entirely ceased after these and later draining operations at 

 the Berrymoss (now the race course) had removed the last 

 of the stagnant morasses of the district. It may also be 

 mentioned that at a broken portion of the retaining wall at 

 the road which cuts in two the Angroflat Plantation, it was 

 recently noticed that under a deepish layer of red sandy 

 clay there was the usual sand-mixed gravel commonly found 

 in digging operations in the town. 



I shall not venture to offer any speculative theory as to 

 the origin of these phenomena. But it would be very in- 

 teresting and desirable were some competent and experienced 

 geologist to visit and inspect them. I have no doubt they 

 will be found to have some connection with the sand hillocks 

 in the grounds of Floors, which attracted the attention of 

 Mr. Milne Home on the occasion of the Club visiting Kelso 

 in September last, and to which he adverted in the course 

 of some remarks at the dinner, at the same time inviting 

 the attention of local observers to the subject. 



Note on the Oyster-Catcher. By Dr. Robson Scott. 



A specimen of Hcematopus Ostralegus (the Oyster-Catcher) 

 was shot at Belford, on the Bowmont, on 15th September, 

 1874. This bird is not uncommon on our sea-coasts, but 

 has very rarely been found inland. Sir W. Jardine mentions 

 one as having been shot at Dryburgh. This bird is remark- 

 able for its stout, wedge-shaped beak, which it inserts into 

 the shells of strong bivalve fish, such as the oyster, when 

 slightly open, and wrenches them asunder. The beak in 

 this specimen, when shut, was covered with mud for about 

 half its length, indicating that it had been searching for 

 insect food in the soft mud about the banks of the stream. 



