lleport of Meetings for 1887. By J. Hardy. 1& 



complain of this amelioration of its condition, provided the old 

 stone had been left to tell its tale of bloody revenge. 



The ditches by the way-side show a peaty soil ; and in them 

 grows Slum angustifolium. 



The road led past Swallow Dean, Ladywell, and Niuewar to 

 the main turnpike over the Stonymoor. At Ladywell, Dr 

 Denholru had a hollowed out sand-stone to exhibit. It was 

 scarcely a creeing trough, being more like a pig's stone. It was 

 conical ; with the lower portion narrower, and not uniform, 

 looking as if cut out and deepened after the upper section had 

 been hewn out. Mr James Thomson said that it was like a 

 stone once used in the north of Scotland for depositing webs in 

 during the bleaching process ; but it was too small for this. 



The road by Oxendean was reported to be grassy and wet in a 

 damp day like the present, hence the entrance to the Duns 

 Castle grounds was made at the gate at the head of Castle Street. 

 After passing the outer gate, the supposed site of the house of 

 Duns Scotus was pointed out, and not far from it that of Dr 

 M'Crie's father, both now included witbiu the park. On entering 

 the inner gateway, the trees of the fine avenue of limes, that had 

 been re-erected after being prostrated by the great gale, were 

 found to be lively and full of expanding buds. Three of the 

 company heard the song of the Chiff-chaff from among the top 

 branches of one of the lime trees. There is no doubt now of its 

 permanent establishment as a summer visitor to the county, 

 from its having been visible in so many localities and to so many 

 competent observers. Through the thoughtful consideration of 

 Mr Hay of Duns Castle, who had sent directions from Italy, the 

 Club was shown the principal rooms in the Castle and the rare 

 collection of family and other portraits by which they are 

 enriched. The old family both on the Hay and Seton sides of 

 the house were attached to the Stuarts. Mr Hay possesses as a 

 present to one of his ancestry from the exiled family a precious 

 group of Stuart portraits by an Italian artist. These are James 

 VIII., "the King across the water," and his Queen, Mary 

 Clementina Sobieski, and their sons Prince Charles Edward and 

 Prince Henry, afterwards Cardinal York. Besides these there 

 are James VI., John Duns Scotus, etc., etc. ; but the time was 

 too limited to make an adequate survey of either the paintings 

 or the finely-carved mantelpieces, chairs, etc., or the richly inlaid 

 cabinets and other precious works of art treasured in the drawing 



