Anniversary Address. 41 



that Doddington is peculiarly favoured with several excellent 

 springs of water, of which the Dod Well and Cuddy's Well 

 are the most important. Both wells issue out of the sand- 

 stone of Dod Law, the former yielding 70 gallons, and the 

 latter 24 gallons per minute of soft water, at a temperature 

 of 46 degrees of Fah. ; the supply and temperature are the 

 same in winter as in summer. Previously to " the year 1791 

 the Dod Well was a very beautiful natural fountain, at the 

 base of a prominent freestone rock ;" " and from a crevice of 

 the rock above the basin, grew a ' yea pointed' fern (doubtless 

 the Osmunda regalis) which was an object of great interest to 

 the villagers, differing, as it did, from the common fern." 

 There was a song current in the village in those days, the 

 burden of which was 



"The bonny Dod Well and the Yea pointed fern." 



But, adds the writer, " I have been unable as yet to recover 

 any more of the song than that single line ; so completely 

 was the fountain of poetry dried up in the village by the 

 ruthless destruction of that which inspired it ; for who could 

 sing of the ' Bonny Dod Well' amidst the desecration" to 

 which it was subjected : for in the year 1791 a " heartless 

 Carmichael" quarried away the rock of which the natural 

 fountain was formed, regardless alike of the presiding genius 

 of the springs, and of the feelings of the villagers. Much to 

 the credit of the present Incumbent, a new fountain, through 

 his exertions, was erected in 1846, the cistern being covered 

 over " with solid masonry, in the form of a cross of Calvary ; 

 thus substituting an architectural ornament of a Christian 

 character, for the royal fern which had presided over the 

 original fountain for centuries before its demolition." 



" Dr. Hood shewed a good specimen of the plate of Pterichthys 

 major, from Harelaw quarry, near Chirnside, out of the old 

 red sandstone." 



I have now concluded my notes respecting the meetings 

 held since I have been President, and I have only a few more 

 remarks to make. 



I should like to see recorded in our proceedings the sizes 

 and localities of remarkable trees, extraordinary springs of 

 Cc 



