Report oj Meetings for 1879, by James Haidy. 37 



and of Cryptomeria Japonica and elegans, there are also small 

 plants. Mr Albert Grey mentioned that they were not very suc- 

 cessful -with the Cryptomerice, the young trees being liable to die 

 out. There are fine specimens of Cupressus Lawsoniana ; and also 

 Cupressus macrocarpa, which rises here 40 feet high. There are 

 small plants of Ficea nolilis. Ficea Nordmanniana, P. Pindrow, P. 

 Pinsapo, and F. Wehhiana, an exceedingly handsome tree, are 

 also grown here. Finns Austriaca (Austrian or Black Pine), said 

 to be one of the best for planting as shelter, was one of the few 

 that the last winter had embrowned the foliage of. Finns 

 insignis is here perfectly hardy, and can be planted near the sea. 

 There are also Finus Genevensis, the Geneva wild Pine, and F. 

 excelsa, the Bhotan Pine. Of Retmispora plnmosa and sqnarrosa, 

 there are beautiful plants, growing to 12 feet high. There are 

 also varieties of the Taxus and Taxodinm ; and fine large speci- 

 mens of Thinopsis lorealis (Cupressus Nootkaensis). Of Thuja or 

 Arbor vitse, there are Th. gigantea, Menziesi, occidentalis, argentea, 

 and pendula. Lastly Wellingtonia gigantea is here perfectly 

 hardy, grows well, and forms a good exemplification of the tree. 

 The laurels were cut down, but it was merely to thicken their 

 growth. Some of the Rhododendrons had suffered from the 

 winter's inclemency, but were springing anew. In other respects 

 no more damage had been sustained here. Owing to its vicinity 

 to the sea, there can be little hoar frost. Near the sea-side end 

 of the walk, a patch of JEpilohium angnstifolinm had been planted. 

 The burn at first stagnant, at length broke away to pay its tribute 

 to the great ocean, across the large assemblage of gravel and 

 boulders on the beach. Crossing the bridge, a green knoll, sur- 

 mounting a crag was reached, whence an extensive view of the 

 coast to the south opened out. On the sea-banks to the north of 

 the burn above the cliffs, Rippophce rhamnoides, or Sea Buckthorn, 

 probably planted, grows plentifully. A cormorant was passing, 

 the only sea-bird visible. The contrast of the verdant banks, 

 the dark tangle- covered rocks, and the wan-coloured sea, is 

 always striking. It was on the rocks at Howick Burn mouth 

 that a herd of Round-headed Porpoises {Fhocana melas) was 

 stranded on the 19th March, 1853, of which Mr Tate gave an 

 account in the Club's " Proceedings," vol. iii., pp. 176-180. He 

 told me that he was so full of the occurrence, that on the eveDing 

 after he had visited the place, he delivered a lecture in the 



