Notice of a Boman Quern by James Paterson. 



Insects taken by Miss Milne^ at Otterhurn, last summer. 



Colias edusa, on white clover Chserocampa Porcellus, on Rhodo- 



Deilephila Euphorbias, on Rhododen- dendron 



drons Macraglossa stellatarum on Rhodo- 



dendron. 



Plant new to the district, found by Mrs. John Batrd, of 

 Beaumont Hill. 



GooDYERA REPENS ; in old fir plantation at Graden, and 

 also Epipactis latifolia in the same wood. 



Notice of a Roman Quern found at Berwick. 

 By James Paterson. 



At our late most interesting Alnwick meeting, the members 

 had an opportunity of inspecting a number of Querns or 

 hand-mills of the ancient British period, and I have the plea- 

 sure of now directing their attention to the under half of a 

 similar instrument of genuine Roman origin. This form of 

 grist-mill is of great antiquity, drawings having been found 

 among the hieroglyphics that cover the stones of ancient 

 Egypt, and descriptions or allusions occurring in the ancient 

 Hebrew Scriptures of mills of the same kind. In Eastern 

 countries they are used to the present day : the singing of the 

 women as they rise early to grind the corn for the need of 

 the day, falling musically upon the ear of the awaking travel- 

 ler. We can hardly view such relics of primitive life without 

 recalling the "two women that shall be grinding at the 

 mill," the prohibition to " pledge the upper or nether mill- 

 stone," or the affecting episode in the African history of 

 Mungo Park, when the compassionate negress sung — 



" No mother has he to bring him milk, 

 No wife to grind his corn." 



We believe that Querns are found in this country, dating 

 to many widely-separated epochs — Celtic, Roman, Saxon, 

 Danish, mediaeval. When Pennant made his tour of Scot- 

 land, at but a comparatively modern date, he found the hand- 

 mill still in use in the remote districts of both Lowlands and 

 Highlands. 



These implements vary considerably in form ; in some 



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