REPORTS OF MEETINGS FOR 1910 149 



object of antiquarian interest is Corsbie Tower, which is now 

 only a picturesque ruin on a rising ground near the edge of 

 the Moss, though at one time a place of strength. Before 

 draining operations had been carried out, it was rendered more 

 defensible by being separated from the mainland, and approach- 

 able only by a narrow causeway. It was long associated with 

 the name of Cranstoun, a family of importance in the 16th 

 century, on whose account on 14th September 1571 the governor 

 of Berwick was instructed to take steps through the captain 

 of Hume Castle to make amends for depredations conmiitted 

 on the lands of Corsbie. The Tower is now in a state of 

 dilapidation, two walls only remaining to indicate its once 

 formidable proportions. The surrounding land to the East 

 and West continues very marshy, though it has been drained 

 in the direction both of the Eden and the Leader, the former 

 of which has its source on the moor to the North. 



At 2 p.m. the drive was resumed by East and West Morriston, 

 whence a fine stretch of country including the Black Hill and 

 the Eildons opened out to view, and terminated at the Red 

 Lion Hotel, Earlston, where dinner was served. 

 Club An apology for absence from Colonel Hope, 



Dinner. Cowdenknowes, was intimated. Of botanical 



interest the chief item was the report by 

 Mr Wm. B. Boyd and the Secretary of a new station for 

 the uncommon Wood Bitter Vetch (Vicia Orobus) in the 

 neighbourhood of Stow, which they had visited on the previous 

 day. A nomination in favour of Mr Ralph Henderson, 

 Alngarth, Alnwick, was duly intimated. 



A pleasing feature of Earlston is the number of Black- 

 headed Gulls (Larus ridibundus) tliat frequent the village. 

 They breed in the Pickie Moss, Legerwood, among other places 

 in the locality, and are attracted thence by scraps thrown to 

 them by the villagers, who appear to leave them unmolested. 



