338 



Biographical Notice of A. Jerdon, Esq. By Sir Walter, 

 Elliot, K.C.S.L, F.L.S. 



Little more than a year has elapsed since a memoir of the 

 late Dr. T. C. Jerdon was read to the members of the Club, 

 and now we are called upon to record the loss of his brother, 

 — then in the full enjoyment of health, giving promise of 

 enriching our " Proceedings " for many years with the 

 results of his useful investigations, and of enlivening our 

 meetings by his genial and welcome presence. 



Archibald Jerdon, younger son of the late Archibald 

 Jerdon, of Bonjedward, was born there on the 21st Septem- 

 ber, 1819. His mother, Elizabeth Sarah Milner, was the 

 daughter of Mr. Milner, of Whitley, in the county of 

 Durham, whose brother, Charles Milner, of Biddick Hall, 

 for many years managed the extensive estates of the Lamb- 

 ton family, now Earls of Durham. 



He was educated in Edinburgh, at the Academy, on 

 leaving which he prosecuted his studies under a private 

 tutor, at the same time attending classes at the College, in 

 particular those of Natural and Physical Science. 



The delicacy of his constitution in his earlier years was 

 the cause of some difficulty in the choice of a profession. 

 After hesitating between the career of a civil engineer and 

 an Indian cadetship, he began to study agriculture under 

 the Rev. James Traill, of Haddington, who rented the farm of 

 Pappel-Westmains, in that neighbourhood. But shortly 

 afterwards the state of his father's health obliged him to re- 

 turn to Bonjedward, where he took charge of the home farm. 

 Meantime Mr. Jerdon had obtained the appointment of 

 Collector of Inland Revenue and Distributor of Stamps for 

 the county, on the death of Mr. Riddell, and an arrangement 

 was made in 1841 by which he resigned these offices in 

 favour of his son, who held them, together with that of 

 Collector of County Rates, to which he was elected in 1868, 

 during the rest of his life. 



After the death of both his parents, about the end of 

 1842, the family estate was sold ; and at Whitsunday, 

 1845, he took up his abode at Lintalee, near Jedburgh, 

 whence he removed to Mossburnford, in 1848. There, in 

 April, 1853, he married, and the following year changed his 

 residence to ' Jedfoot. On leaving this house, which was 

 required by the proprietor, in 1868, he resided for two 



