40 Report of Meetings for 1887. By J. Hardy. 



Looking up the river, the mouth of the deep sunk Barrow 

 Burn opens above the haughs, and on the opposite side of the 

 Coquet. The Barrow mill is snugly placed within a margin of 

 deep green and well cultivated ground. The ruins of the "lytle 

 fortresse " of Barrow "upon the south syde of Cokett," if there 

 are now any, are invisible from the road. The broken-up 

 Barrow Seraggs with their fresh green native trees, ashes 

 and birches, and elms adjoin. Next come the steep Barrow 

 Scaurs, with their lines of hard limestones and sandstones, and 

 broader bands of shales, belonging to the Cement Limestone 

 group (Tuedian). They are mostly bare of trees, and are 

 heather-topped. 



Amidst these sequestered scenes, we found the President and 

 several other members who had crossed the hills and wilds from 

 Scotland, on the previous evening ; an invasion the inhabitants 

 had not looked for ; the advent of so many strangers, most of 

 whom were clergymen, being regarded with wonder. Breakfast 

 was scarcely dispatched, and the day's route planned and entered 

 on, when the carriage containing the Alnwick division appeared 

 descending the steep road from Newton. They joined us after- 

 wards at Harbottle. Proceeding, the Geranium praleme was in 

 rich bloom and profusion (a pink var. near Linnshiels). [This 

 plant by a lapse of memory, is invariably written disseetum in the 

 Address of 1868, vol. v ] Wormwood was also present, and any 

 amount of " Good King Henry." In the meadow grew a very 

 gay var. of Achillcea Millefolium; pink flower with white eye; of 

 which more was seen next day above Linnshiels farm. It is 

 often seen in gardens. Passing the Church for the present, and 

 crossing the bridge, we had on the Coquet on our left a shepherd's 

 house, and a narrow stripe of meadow called Angry-haugh (from 

 a German source, Anger ; a meadow, the green plot of a village, 

 a pasture-ground) formerly part of Biddleston, but now trans- 

 ferred by purchase to Harbottle Castle estate. The Coquet was 

 very contracted, and full of " Crow-silk," or "Ladies' Soap." 

 ( Conferva rivularn). We now enter between fir and pine planta- 

 tions whose undergrowth is mainly young birches, either sprung 

 from old seeds, or seeds brought l>y birds. There is a heronry 

 in the woods here, and their continuation towards Harbottle. 

 They nest upon the fir trees, only a single nest, not two or more, 

 I am told, being affixed to each tree. Great battles sometimes 

 ensue between the quarrelsome inmates. On one occasion 



