REPORTS ON EXCURSIONS. 459 



nigra, Linn ; a Horse-chestnut, near old Castle, 12 feet 4 



inches at 3 feet 3 inches on upper side; an Oak, 15 feet 9 J 



inches, at 2 feet 8 inches on upper and 6 feet on lower side, 

 bole, 10 feet. 



Edinburgh, 6th May, 1899. — A joint excursion took place on 

 this date with the Edinburgh Field Naturalists' and Micro- 

 scopical Society. The Mushroom Tunnel (three-quarters of a mile 

 long) at Scotland Street was visited and explored with the aid 

 of oil lamps, but the result was disappointing. The mushroom- 

 beds were few and far between. The proprietor, who accom- 

 panied the party, stated that owing to a blight which appeared 

 some time since he intended to give the mushroom-beds a rest 

 for a while. A similar place for mushroom culture had been 

 secured near Dundee. The effect of the blight, which seems 

 to have been a parasitic micro-fungus, was very evident, more 

 than a half of the mushrooms seen being diseased or malformed. 

 The party afterwards set out for the Botanic Gardens, where a 

 pleasant hour was spent. Worthy of notice is the Insectivorous 

 Plants house, the large blossoms of the Sarracenias being very 

 fine. Before leaving Edinburgh our section of the party was 

 kindly supplied with a cup of tea by the Edinburgh Society. 

 We had only a small party, but the Edinburgh contingent was 

 a large one. Mr. S. M. Well wood (Hon. Secy.) acted as 

 conductor. 



Eglinton, 27th May, 1899. — A party numbering eighteen 

 turned out to the excursion on this date to Eglinton Castle 

 grounds. The road through the town of Kilwinning was taken, 

 and continued through the " Corshill," which was the town in 

 the days of the Abbey, and was separated from it by the river 

 Garnock. An Elm-tree (on the side of the railway, opposite 

 Kenneth's brickwork) which has corky excrescences on many of 

 its branches, was examined. AVithin the policies a number of 

 trees was measured. Mr. John Renwick has prepared a useful 

 table (see page 399), which contains measurements of notable trees 

 in this neighbourhood taken at different periods. A Beech 

 was pointed out with the date 1843 or 1848 carved on it. The 



