102 REPORT OF MEETINGS FOR 1901 



At the back of the house, on a stone slab, is an incised 

 but not easily legible inscription, under the arms which 

 show three boars' heads over a chevron : " Nulli proprius 

 cedit mihi id ('or is) olirri unura sed aliis," so far as can 

 be deciphered. 



Spottiswoode. 



The policies of Spottiswoode were entered by the Eagle 

 Lodge, with its " Steek the Yett " announcement to all who 

 pass in or out. Just before reaching the mansion house the 

 visitors alighted from the brakes to view Spottiswoode Lake, 

 a sheet of water naturall}"^ small, considerably enlarged by 

 Lady John, and artificially adorned with picturesque islands, 

 on one of which there is a chalet beneath a bower of trees, 

 to which her ladyship used to row on summer afternoons, to 

 muse in this retreat, and drink her tea. [Plate XV. — from 

 a photograph by Miss M. Milne Home.] The lake was some 

 years ago stocked with trout and perch from the Howieson 

 Hatchery. These have thriven well ; they are not of good 

 quality ; for the moss in the lake, which is rather stagnant, 

 has produced a bad effect upon them, culinarily, though they 

 grow to a large size. There is a heronry of nine or ten 

 nests in a fir-wood in the neighbourhood of the lake. 



Then we went under an iron trellis archway into the Park ; 

 rolling grass land with well grown trees pleasingly spaced 

 and diversely grouped, with weeping birch, lime, beech, 

 sycamore, and oak ; under a second iron trellis arch into the 

 garden, where deodars, ashes, and various trees surround the 

 house of red sandstone. [Plate XVI. — from a photograph 

 by Miss M. Milne Home.] 



On arrival at Spottiswoode House we were cordially received 

 and welcomed by Mr and Mrs W. H. Verdin, the tenants. 

 Here the main party, who had travelled from Gordon, was 

 joined by other members and guests who had come by 

 road. Amongst those who received us were, besides Mr 

 and Mrs Verdin, Mr Norman Verdin, Miss Verdin, Miss 

 Sybil Cook, and Sir Joseph Verdin of Garnston Castle, 

 Weobley, Hereford. 



The interest of the meeting may be said to have centred 

 in Spottiswoode House and grounds. Guided by Mr Verdin, 



