Report of Meetings for 1890. R}- Dr J. Hardy. 57 



shire heaths.* Mr W. B. Boyd had found Adoxa moschatellina 

 at Faldonside and Cherry trees. Dr Stuart had brought several 

 bouquets of newly raised Violas, one of them very handsome. 

 After breakfast, the company started in four carriages to 

 proceed up the valley of the Elwand, Alwyn, or Allan Water, 

 Darnick Tower was visited in passing, where the variety of 

 objects preserved is worth inspecting. Permission to see these 

 curiosities was got from Andrew Heiton, Esq., of Darnick Tower. 

 The tower is encircled by a gay flower garden. The site of the 

 mediseval bridge over the Tweed was pointed out at a little 

 distance above the present situation. It is described in the 

 " Monastery." Asplenium Rufa-muraria grows on the present 

 bridge. The carriages went round by the public road, and with 

 the permission of Lieutenant-General Henry, C.B., the party 

 walked up the Fairy Dean, now distinguished by the growth of 

 its fine timber trees — Sir Walter Scott's " groves of noble Som- 

 raerville." Arahis hirsuta grows here. Several left the ranks to 

 search for fairy stones, which are now rarely to be obtained. 

 Numerous examples were afterwards examined at Melrose from 

 a private collection. The carriages were then rejoined. In this 

 upland secluded disti-ict, the corn, hay, and turnip crops were as 

 advanced as lower down, and pi'omised a fair return. The Blue 

 Cairn, a famous rendezvous of the persecuted Covenanters is a 

 conspicuous place on a height. British antiquities are said to 

 occur within its circuit. Glendearg, a new farm place occupying 

 the site of the old Calf Hill farm was passed. On the front of 

 the farm-house, the former proprietor, who had changed its 

 name, has erected a commemorative tablet about 2 feet long by 

 1 ft. 6 in. wide, with the following inscriptions. — 



(Blcnbearg 



POET^ CELEBERRIMI, 

 AMICI SPECTATISSIMI, 

 NOMINIS LOCI AUCTOEIS, 

 MEMORI^ DEDICAVIT 



JOANNES BOETHWICK 



DE CROOKSTON: 

 ROBERTO HALL AROHITECTO 

 MDCCCXLII. 



* The deformation of tlie flowers of the Sneeze-wort, caused by the larvae 

 of Ceculnmyia Ptarmic>i- is very prevalent in a field near Gattonside Moss. 



I 



