Report of Meetings for 1881. By Jas. Hardy. 441 



Mr Bigge mentioned that a woodpecker {Picus viridis) had been 

 shot at Dyehouse, three or four miles south of Hexham. One 

 was seen Jan. 22, 1881, within a mile of Stamfordham. Three, 

 both green and spotted, were seen during spring in East Dipton 

 woods, near Hexham. Mr Thomson mentioned that a male al- 

 bino water vole {Arvicola amphibia) had been caught by a cat in 

 the straw barn at Eiddletonhill, in the parish of Maxton. The 

 vole was of a beautifully pure white colour, and had red eyes. 

 It had lost one of its fore legs, and was diseased in its body, 

 while at one time it had been affected on the tail. Some years 

 previously a vole of a similar colour had been caught near 

 Heatherhope, by Mr A. Douglas, the Duke of Eoxburghe's 

 gamekeeper at Greenhill, Roxburghshire. Mention was also 

 made of the capture, three weeks previously, of a Daubenton's 

 Bat {Barhustellus communis, Gray), at Under Samieston. Dau- 

 benton's Bat is well-known about Dunbar, and in other districts 

 of Scotland. 



Captain Norman while recently fishing on Tweedside near 

 Twisel found examples of the Edible Morel {Morchella esculenta) 

 on Dreeper Island. Dr. Stuart, who has made Hillside Cottage, 

 Chirnside, quite famous by his successful cultivation of flowers, 

 had brought many interesting specimens. These included a 

 most remarkably fine Aquilegia, grown in an open border, and 

 supposed to be a cross between A. glandulosa and A. Witman- 

 niana. The flower was most superb in growth and colour— blue 

 and white. Dr. Stuart had many specimens of Primula Scofica, P. 

 farinosa, P. Munroii, P. cortusoides. P. Sieloldii, and many hybrid 

 hardy Primulas and Polyanthuses ; also new Yiolas, Cream of the 

 Valley, a pale straw coloured variety, Mauve, of a delicately 

 coloured mauve, and several other seedlings. Dr Stuart also 

 brought some blooms of Fortune's double white Clematis. Mr 

 W. B. Boyd had also a fine variety of flowers. Among them 

 was a spike of the flower of the New Zealand flax, which at Or- 

 miston this year has attained the height of nine feet. He had 

 also a double wood Anemone, the Petticoat Narcissus, Double 

 ditto, and TrolUus Asiaticus. Mr Watson produced specimens of 

 Anemone Apennina, which Mr Ferguson, writer, Dunse, had 

 found in Dunse Castle woods growing with A. nemorosa. The 

 usual toasts were proposed and honoured, and a vote of thanks 

 was accorded to Mr Marjoribanks for the trouble he had taken to 

 render the excursion enjoyable. A very pleasant evening was 

 spent. 



