30 Report of Meetings for 1879, by James Hardy. 



of whins full of blossom, in a sheltered hollowon the heights, 

 stood out very vividly by contrast with the prevailing gloom. 

 But we rapidly sped away, passing Frogden, the scene of Daw- 

 son's experiments that revolutionised agriculture, Kersknowe and 

 Mainhouse ; glancing up to whereabouts Blaiklaw stood on the 

 ground above, once the residence of Pringle the poet, who sung 

 so well of "Cheviot's mountains blue," " bonnie Teviotdale," 

 and the pleasant banks of the Kale. 



Thirty-five dined in the Queen's Hotel Assembly room, Kelso. 

 After dinner a paper was read "On some Stone Cannon Balls 

 found in the Parish of Swinton, Berwickshire," written by our 

 learned co-member, David Milne Home, Esq., of Milnegraden ; 

 and a number of letters were brought before the meeting relative 

 to the effects of the past winter. In one of the letters Sir George 

 Douglas mentioned the occurrence of the Turtle Dove at Spring- 

 wood Park, where care would be taken to protect it. It was 

 stated on behalf of Mr Andrew Brotherston that an adult female 

 Hobby {Falco subhuteo) had been recently shot, and was being 

 preserved by him. This bird had been observed flying about 

 the neighbourhood for some time, and a look out for it having 

 been kept it was shot near Kelso Bridge by Mr Archibald Steel. 

 The same indefatigable explorer had sent a plant of Meum 

 athemanticum to be shewn to the Club. It is not recorded as 

 having been found wild on the Scottish side of the Borders, 

 although found on basalt near Thockrington in Northumberland. 

 Some time ago, Mr William Oliver, Howpasley, on Borthwick 

 water, found it growing wild on his hill farm, from which the 

 specimen was obtained. Mr Brotherston subsequently found the 

 plant both in Dumfries and Eoxburgh shires. It was popularly 

 known as " Baldmoney." It was employed as a quack medicine, 

 according to Mactaggart. A slate " spindle-birlie," marked on 

 the sides with incised concentric circles, was exhibited, found at 

 Over Howden, near Oxton, by Mr Eobert Sharp. Miss Dickin- 

 son had sent a number of gooseberries from her garden at Nor- 

 ham, which had been entered and hollowed out by a green 

 caterpillar, which was said to differ from the ordinary saw-fly 

 grub that devastates the foliage of the bushes. The blackbirds 

 had detected the lurking foe, but they were carrying oif both 

 fruit and caterpillars, so that their aid was rather an additional 

 evil. 



