NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21146, 2 October 1930, Page 15

NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB.

The outing of the Dunedin Naturalists’ Field Club on Saturday was abandoned on account of the weather; There was a very good attendance at the indoor meeting held on Monday evening, Mr A. W. Anderson presiding. The chief business of the evening was a paper contributed by Miss H. K. Dalrymple, who is at present enjoying a trip abroad. Miss Dalrymple had aptly chosen ‘‘Pen Pictures from Overseas” as a title for her paper. It was divided into eight sections, viz.—“ The Quick Trip to Cairo,” Kew Gardens,” “The Aquarium in the Zoo at Edinburgh," “By Motor Coach from London to Edinburgh,” “ Bird Study at Lynedale,” “Across Country to lona," “On the Moors of Dinnet,” "With an Overseas Field Club.’’ Regarding the last-named. Miss- Dalrymple writes: “You will be interested, I know, to have a short account of an overseas field club outing that I was privileged to attend last. Saturday, We have been staying with a cousin in Aberdeen, ana- when she invited me 'to join her in an excursion to the Glen of Cushnie with members of the Deeside Field Club you can understand how gladly I accepted her invitation. I had already spent delightful days up Deeside among the heather moors of Dinnet, and this was my opportunity of seeing the Don. My eager anticipations were more than fuf- • size of the club astonished me, the number being close on 200. The colouring of the countryside, with its peen fields and golden broom, and dietant views of Bennachie and neighbouring hills, was very beautiful. Various stops were made along the route. At one place we wondered through a pretty manse garden with a fine rockery and an archway of granite boulders from' the district. At another place we walked up an avenue of old sycamores with mossgrown trunks to see a collection of ancient e - ,1 x, se y ere exhibited outside Cushme Hall, the home of Lady King. Among them was a very large one belonging td Mary Queen of Scots. Over the doorway were the armoria! bearings of the Lurasden fanuly I could not help thinking of Cromwell when I looked at the coat of .arms and motto, a strong, muscular arm brandling a sword, and the Latin words Dei dono sum quod sum—' By the of God, I am what I am/ * f armhousQ with the curious name °v Balnakelly all the cars and mnL a w C f in w i l!ch Party was aceomSw i d H. op ? ed ’ a , nd it we walked toward the glen, where the Cushnie Burn flows down from .the hills. Some of the «s»JSi S J n the , dlst rict. as elsewhere in ®YtT 9 - a \ most as bi 5 jaw-breakers f? our . Maori place names, and many of thenr have very interesting associations, Muggarthaugh was the name of a wavside inn we passed, whilst up the glen is another stream named the King’s Bum —so called because in earlier days the Hl s lander * . U6erl to drive their Bul„ °, ver K Near Cushnie Burn we had a short, talk from Dr Bremner. of Edinburgh University, on Hills and Valleys of Cushnie.' The wfs° S tinder f th he £ ge when Se °tland Tre Zeh in he o£ a ,? Arctic climate, ?I! “«cn evidence all over this coum Aberd fenshire. but in this particular area the action of the ice is ?i e o ar mn 0n y s l econdar y- The contours of d valleys. Dr Bremner told us, show more the slow and gentle denudation brought about by action ot water and ordinary .weathering. After JJr Bremner e address most of the party preferred to walk down the burn to 1 the very old cemetery of Leoehel before proceedmg to the Hall of Lochil-Cushnie for tea* lea, after tho long drive and walk* was very welcome. A royal spread it was, with oatcakes and scones, ‘ butter and honey, and cakes in abundance. In such a country as this, with a thrilling history behind it, you will realise that the past, especially m the form of the study of antiquities and records of- previous generations, has. a very important place in the club a programme. The drive back to Aberdeen was across the country separating the Don from the Dee. At one hilltop, we stopped to admire the magnificent view of Morven, Lochnagar, and Keen, whilst - below us lay the extensive vale of Howe of Crotnar. Soon we were passing the familiar townships of Abyne and Banchovy, and the striking of Rob Roy by Culter Bridge. About 5*30 we reached Aberdeen, having covered some 70 or 80 miles in our circular route. Though the numbers were so large, the spirit, of friendliness and camaraderie that I always associate with a field club, was very evident.” The meeting closed with a hearty vote of thanks to Miss Dalrymple, to Mrs Orr Campbell. Mies Dorothy Boyd, and Miss Ella Campbell, who had taken turns in reading the paper, and to Mr W. J. Williams, who worked the lantern and showed the accompanying photographs.