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Beport of the Meetings of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club 

 for the year 1881. By James Hardy. 



The first meeting for 1881 was held at Dunbar, on Wednesday, 

 May 25th, with, the view of visiting Belton, Biel, Stenton, and 

 Presmennan. The following were present : Emeritus Professor 

 Balfour, M.D., F.E.S., Edinburgh; J. W. Barnes, Durham; 

 Eev. J. F. Bigge, Stamf ordham ; James Bogie, Edinburgh ; W. 

 B. Boyd of Faldonside ; E. P. Brotherston, Tynningham Gar- 

 dens ; Capt. E. Carr-Ellison of Hedgeley : William Dickson, 

 Edinburgh; Eobert Gray, F.E.S.E., Edinburgh; Eev. Canon 

 Greenwell, F.E.S., F.S.A., Durham ; James Hardy, Oldcambus 

 (Secretary) ; Eev. Joseph Hunter, Cockburnspath ; W. H. John- 

 son, Edinburgh ; Eev. Ambrose Jones, Stannington ; Eobert 

 Darling Ker, Edinburgh ; Peter Loney, Marchmont ; Eev. G. 

 Majoribanks, B.D., Stenton ; Capt. F. M. Norman, E.N., 

 Berwick ; Eev. W. Stobbs, Gordon ; Charles Stewart, M.D., 

 Chirnside ; John Thomson, Kelso ; Eamsay H. Traquair, M.D., 

 F.E.S.E., Museum of Science and Art, Edinburgh ; and Charles 

 Watson, F.S.A. Scot., Dunse. 



The early part of the day was wet and threatening, but the 

 rain cleared off about mid-day. The journey was performed in 

 three conveyances. On reaching Belton the rain descended in 

 torrents ; but sheltered by umbrellas and waterproofs, and the 

 friendly cover of the trees, glimpses were obtained of the mansion- 

 house and the well- grown trees in the park, although under the 

 circumstances this could only be accomplished under much dis- 

 comfort, and hastily. The mansion which is situated on the 

 banks of Biel Burn, is an adaptation, effected in 1865, of an old 

 fortified peel to modern requirements. The original structure, 

 however, has had so much additional building incorporated with 

 it as to be almost undistinguishable. Eemains of it are traceable 

 on the eastern and northern ends, where the wall as gauged by 

 the arrow-slits is six feet thick. The members entered a vaulted 

 apartment on the east, to inspect an illuminated coat of arms of 

 the Tweeddale family of which house the owner, Capt. James 

 G. Baird Hay is a cadet. There is a lengthened inscription in 

 capital letters on the west gable, which, so far as the Club is 

 concerned, remains incomprehensible. The front of the house 

 has trained over it a white flowered species of Spiraea. At the 

 west end a notable walnut tree has succumbed to the severity of 



