Anniversary Address. 233 



it was a female, and full of eggs. This is a rare bird in 

 England. 



My own ramble in connection with the meeting was ex- 

 tended as far as Jedburgh, chiefly that I might see the vener- 

 able Abbey there, and examine the section of Cambro-silurian 

 and old red sandstone rocks on the Jed, which the descrip- 

 tions of Hutton, our president, and others have rendered 

 classical. But I refer to this ramble, that I may note an 

 archaeological discovery ; for in Jedburgh, among some rocks 

 in possession of Mr. Matthewson, I observed an inscribed 

 stone, with sculpturing, of the same character as those on the 

 rocks at Old Bewick and Routing Linn. These peculiar 

 inscriptions were noticed in 1825 by Mr. J. C. Langlands, 

 and a paper was read respecting them by the Rev. W. Green- 

 well, at 4he meeting of the Archaeological Society, held in 

 Newcastle, in 1852 ; but descriptions of them were first pub- 

 lished in our Transactions, in 1853, and in Dr. Johnston's 

 Natural History of the Eastern Borders. Since then several 

 other similar stones have been discovered on the Dodding- 

 ton moors, at Chatton, on Whitsunbank, near Rothbury, and 

 as far south as the parish of Stamfordham. The discovery 

 at Jedburgh is interesting, as extending the range in another 

 direction ; and as one of the same stones occurs in Kirkcud- 

 brightshire, they may be found to be generally distributed 

 over the south of Scotland." 



In these minutes, our Secretary takes notice, that there 

 was a large assemblage of members. The fact is easily 

 accounted for. It was the first Field meeting of the year, 

 after the interval of the winter, when no excursions are at- 

 tempted, and members were glad that the season had returned 

 for their rambles amidst the attractions of rural scenery. Our 

 first meeting was in May, the month in which, of all others, 

 the fields are clothed in their brightest green ; when every 

 rocky dell or sunny bank is gay with yellow primroses, and 

 the woods are astir with the industry and melody of the 

 feathered tribe. No wonder, then, that the members assem- 

 bled in numbers, and came forth with joyous spirits, eager 



