20 THE EASTERN BORDERS. 



stones, confined by banks whicb rarely rise above a few feet, 

 and are ploughed or grazed to the very brink*. 



These waters drain the west : — the Eye and Ale are the prin- 

 cipal leaders to the drainage of the eastern parts of Berwick- 

 shire f. The latter is an inconsiderable stream running south- 

 easterly from the Press in the parish of Coldingham, to MiUbank 

 near Eyemouth, where it falls into the Eye at a romantic spot 

 distinguished by a remarkable elevation called the Kip-rock f. 

 The Eye hides its source in the Lammermuirs, and it flows on, 

 in a south-easterly direction, for ten or twelve miles, when it 

 turns nearly at right angles on its entrance into the vale of Ay- 

 ton, which leads its waters to the sea. The early course of this 

 water is bare and uninteresting, but from Grant's-house down- 

 wards there is considerable beauty, and so much natural wood of 

 varied character as to render the banks fruitful of those herbs 

 which the botanist loves to cull§. The valley of Ay ton is more 

 beautiful — indeed it may vie with any we have in the district 

 for richness and variety of scenery, nor could we affirm the judge 

 was partial that awarded it the superiority. It is worthy of the 

 fine castle that now overlooks it from very near the site where- 

 upon stood the Bastle of rude and dangerous days. 



This hurried sketch of the Eastern Borders will have failed in 

 its object, if it has not satisfied the naturalist that the district is 

 peculiarly favourable to his researches, — well-adapted to furnish 

 him with subjects for a practical study of the diiFerent classes of 

 organized beings, and wherein he may fit himself to judge and 

 determine upon the various theories which have been propounded 

 relative to their classification, their relations, their linear or 

 dichotomous development, or their reticular or quincuncial re- 

 unions ; and how far there is that strict connection which is 

 asserted to exist between complexity of structure and the num- 

 ber and perfection of their faculties and instincts. It was in 

 part to test these theories, which have been supposed to be of 

 considerable importance in physiology, that the materials of this 

 volume were collected ; but certainly I was more bound to the 

 task by natural predilection, and by an inborn love which m-ged 



* Stat. Ace. Berwicks. pp. 66, 224. 



t Kerr's View, p. 44. 



X Stat. Ace. Berwicks. p. 131. 



§ The post-road runs parallel to the water from Ayton to Grant's-house. 

 Starting from Ayton, Cobbett says, " When we get farther on the land gets 

 poor and hilly ; the road twists about among the hills and follows (towards 

 its source) a little run of water, on the sides of which are some narrow 

 meadows. The hills are here covered with scrubby woods, very much like 

 those in the poorest parts of Hampshire and Dorsetshire." — Tour in Scot- 

 land, p. 87- 



