212 Report of Meetings for 1888. By J. Hardy. 



Morpeth ; and Mr Robert Mowat, 3 Spence Street, Edinburgh, 

 were proposed as Members ; and Mrs Culley of Coupland Castle 

 as a Lady Member. There were present at the meeting : Rev. 

 Dr. Snodgrass, Canonbie ; Mr Hardy, Secretary ; Dr. Edward 

 Johnson, Kelso ; Mr Henry Rutherfurd of Fairnington ; Mr 

 John Scott Dudgeon, Longnewton ; Mr Alexander Bowie, Priory 

 Hill, Canonbie ; Mr William Guthrie, Hawick ; Mr David M. 

 Watson, Hawick ; Mr Robert E. Moffat, Gowanlee, Canonbie ; 

 Mr John M. Bowie, Priory Hill, Canonbie ; Mr Edward J. 

 Wilson, Saughtree ; Mr James Tinline, Newcastle ; Mr Alexander 

 Simpson, Edinburgh ; Mr Little, Cairnsgill, Westerkirk ; Mr 

 John Turnbull, Selkirk. 



Dr. Snodgrass read some notes on the History of Canonbie 

 church, from which he may afterwards furnish a paper for the 

 Proceedings. 



The meeting terminated with a charming walk in the evening, 

 it being quite a pleasure to have dry weather overhead, in this 

 quiet retreat. Many of the trees were of great size, with broad 

 spreading umbrage — of Oak, Ash, Sycamore, Variegated Maple, 

 Beech and Horse Chestnut. The Beech trees were unusually full 

 of mast, and less in the leaves than in ordinary seasons. A thin 

 film of mist spread over the pasture, where the cows were at rest. 

 The peaceful evening had invited out the Bats. The grass 

 fields on the ridge north of the river Esk were peculiarly white — 

 the autumnal lea-colour — the " Canonbie lea" of the ballad.* 



During the day many of the heavy flying black fly, with 

 reddish legs, Bibio Johannis, were hovering about. Their epoch 

 is St. John's day, so they were somewhat late in their advent ; 

 as the Common Martins were assembling on the telegraph wires 

 preparatory for an early departure. There was another contrast 

 here. The Spotted Flycatcher still frequented the manse garden, 

 while the Missel Thrushes had commenced pilfering the ripened 

 yew tree berries. 



On the subsequent day, Dr. Snodgrass drove me to Langholm, 

 and on our return we called at Mr Doughty's cottage at Byre 

 burn foot, to see his photographs of the best trees on His Grace 

 the Duke of Buccleuch's Estates, that had been exhibited at the 

 Forestry Exhibition in Edinburgh. Mr Doughty, we found, was 

 of Berwickshire origin, and he has kindly presented the Club 

 with a list of these trees. 



* "Dick of the Cow." — Miust. Scottish Border. 



