2IO The Scottish Naturalist. 



what I heard ; for I made a point of seeing all the leading local 

 residents who could give me information concerning gold-finding 

 in the Lovvthers in modern times. Specially are my acknowledg- 

 ments due to the following residents of different parts of the dis- 

 trict for the information which they kindly placed at my disposal, 

 in some cases by writing as well as orally, or by letter instead of 

 by word of mouth : — 



I. Leadhills — 



(i.) The late Mr Gill, factor to the Earl of Hopetoun. 

 (2.) The late Mr James Noble, innkeeper. 



II. Wan LOCK HE AD — 



(i.) The Rev. Dr Moir Porteous; the author of the most 

 recent topographical account of the district and its 

 products, 



(2.) Dr Wilson. 



(3.) Mr Robert Laidlaw ; 



(4.) Mr William Maccall ; and 



(5.) Mr Andrew Gemmell, — all three lead-miners. 



III. Crawick, near Sanquhar — 



Mr John Laidlaw, formerly lead-miner at "Wanlockhead. 



IV. Abington — 



Mr Hope Macqueen, builder and joiner. 



V. Thornhill — 



Dr Grierson, founder of tlie locally well-known " Grierson 

 Museum." 



In the paper that follows, I propose to embody the results of 

 my own inquiries concerning the 7?wder7i history of gold-finding 

 in the Crawford-Lindsay hill district, which extends into Dum- 

 friesshire, though the most important part of it, with its former 

 capital and castle, is in Lanarkshire. The ancient history of 

 these Crawford Moor gold-diggings is perhaps more interesting 

 than that which is modern. But it is also less exact or authentic, 

 while it is more voluminous ; and it naturally, therefore, falls to 

 be treated separately. 



We may conveniently study the subject of recent gold-finding 

 among the Lowthers under three heads — 



I. Alluvial or stream-gold : that which occurs in the form of 



