4G Report of Meetings fur 1890. By Dr J. Hardy. 



Besides flowering Rhododendrons and Azaleas, always charming 

 to look on, there were noticed two youthful Abies Douglassi, and 

 a goodly Cedar of more mature age. 



The chinks of the garden walls and the bridge are full of the 

 Wall-rue Fern, Asplenium Ruta-muraria, self-sown. Sisymbrium 

 thalianum grows on a wall-top near the public road ; there is 

 much Lychnis dioica in the plantings, besides outcast Eockets 

 and Columbines ; and Hypericum quadrangulum and Geum rivale 

 in the ditches. In the pasture field north of the garden, 

 Adder's-tongue fern grows, and it is at the east end of this, called 

 the Old Hag, placed on a knoll, that the remains of the old 

 partly double, partly triple ringed Camp are still traceable ; 

 with the foundations of hut-circles and a stone-built oblong still 

 visible in the interior. There has been an old cross road here 

 still in use. Turning towards the house after crossing the burn, 

 there is a rookery among the tall fir-trees on that side — there 

 are three rookeries at Callaly — and " Callaly for craws" is 

 celebrated in an old rhyme. Where the trees become lower 

 there is a rich concert of the Garden-warbler to be listened to 

 with pleasure ; sometimes combined with the polyglot of the 

 Sedge warbler. The pond in winter is used for curling, and can 

 be lighted up in the dark evenings by lights suspended from the 

 overhan;^ing tree branches with magical effect. The only birds 

 visible were Water-hens and Call Ducks ; the latter breed very 

 little as the rats carry off the ducklings. Tx-out are scarce. 

 Besides the Common Rat, the Water Vole is prevalent, and as 

 at Shawdon has betaken itself with prejudicial consequences to 

 the pastures. Major Browne mentioned that he had heard when 

 at Stagshaw on Tyneside, Mr Straker was complaining of the 

 voles injuring the pastures and gnawing the young tree-roots. 

 The characteristic native plants by the pond were Rumex viridis, 

 Veronica montana, Ajuga reptans, Ground-ivy, and Primroses. 

 The pastures hereabouts produce much Buttercup, both Ranun- 

 culus bulbosus and JR. acris, and also Ox eye Daisy. Some parts 

 are infested with Geranium syhaticum, which is hurtful to stock. 

 The umbrageous environs prove very attractive to birds. Black- 

 birds and Thrushes are manifestly at home here ; Chaffinches 

 were full of song ; and the Willow- Wrens and White-tliroats 

 peopled the hedges. I remarked the Titlark rising from some 

 tall-trees, and its nest has been seen. Redstarts are fairly 

 numerous. The Gold-Crest nest has been seen. There are 



