Forfarshire, 515 



side. From that day to this, the unfortunate piper's fate is a 

 mystery. There are also the Gypsies's Cove, Dinmonfs 

 Cove, the Devil's Blowpipe, the Lady's Cove, and many more 

 for vi^hich I heard no names. These rocks are covered with 

 various maritime grasses, intermingled with a profusion of 

 flowers ; chiefly jL5tus corniculatus, »Statice Armeria, Gera- 

 nium sanguineum, Ficia sylvatica, Heraclhum /Sphondylium, 

 Pimpinella A^axifraga, iSolanum Dulcamara, Parietaria offici- 

 naUs, A^colopendrium vulgare, and Silene maritima. 



I separated from my friend at a spot called Seaton Den, 

 the decUvities of which were richly embroidered with the 

 blossoms of Lychnis diurna, Geum rivale, and Valeriana 

 officinalis. My attention was then directed to a singular 

 scene, called the Gaylet Pot of Auchmithie. This is a large 

 deep cavity in the middle of a field, into the bottom of which 

 the foaming waves of the ocean have found ingress by a grand 

 subterraneous passage, scooped out by the hand of nature 

 through a mass of rocks about 300 ft. in thickness. A field 

 in the vicinity of this curious place presented me with the 

 rare ZZypericum humifiisum, associated with Cerastium vis- 

 cosum, and y^nagtiUis arvensis ; the adjacent rocks were 

 lavishly adorned with Dianthus deltoides, Astragalus glycy- 

 phyllos and hypoglottis ; and, in the dens, there was abund- 

 ance of Campanula glomerata, Zinum catharticum, and A'juga 

 reptans. I passed through the fishing village of Auchmithie, 

 and, about noon, reached that stupendous promontory called 

 the Red Head. It is situated on the west side of Lunan Bay, 

 rises 250 ft. perpendicular to the sea, and forms part of a bed 

 of fine red sandstone which runs through the Valley of Strath- 

 more. I cautiously approached the brink of this frightful 

 precipice, and ventured to look over ; but a sensation of terror 

 thrilled through every nerve, and I exclaimed with Shak- 

 speare — * 



" How fearful 'tis to cast one's eyes so low ! 



The crows, and choughs, that wing the midway air, 

 Show scarce so gross as beetles. . . 



The murm'ring surge. 

 That on the unnumber'd idle pebbles chafes. 

 Cannot be heard so high : — I'll look no more ; 

 Lest my brain turn, and the deficient sight 

 Topple down headlong." 



Innumerable flocks of gulls and other sea-birds have taken up 

 their abode here ; and by their variety of motions, and conti- 

 nued clamour, give animation to the rude scene. Around the 

 venerable ruins of Red Castle, the sandy shore of Lunan Bay 

 is covered with Psamma arenaria ; among the majestic culms 

 of which, long-tailed titmice (Parus caudatus) were sporting 



