REPORTS ON EXCURSIONS. 335 



Mr. Wilson pointed out the remains of one of the places where 

 the manufacture of gunpowder used to be carried on, evidence 

 of which was also to be seen in the number and variety of the 

 Alders growing near, the Alder being used in the manufacture. 

 He also gave some account of the birds of the district, though 

 the birds themselves were exceedingly infrequent, and but few 

 could be seen. He further spoke of the woods as being good 

 ground for botanical work, but the slopes adjoining the Gore are 

 mainly covered with " Dog's Mercury " and ferns. A search 

 was made for fungi, but few were seen until the South Esk was 

 reached, when a fairly good series was obtained. 



The glen of the South Esk is deep and well wooded on both 



sides. At various points, where the ground was wet, Stellaria 



aquatica was growing in great profusion, trailing over the 



" Dog's Mercury " with stems one to three feet long. Circaea 



lutetiana and Angelica sylvestris were in great abundance, both 



in flower and fruit. The woods had fine representatives of Oak 



and Beech trees, and near the path were some large Geans 



and three or four beautiful Spanish Chestnuts, one of which 



measured 13 J feet at 4 feet 4 inches on south-east side. Some 



bushes of Viburnum lantana, Euonymus jap>onicus, and Berberis 



vulgaris, were very conspicuous with their highly-coloured 



fruits. The Philadelphoris coronarius (the False Orange) 



seemed to have been largely planted, and one bush of the 



Juniper was noticed growing on the banks of the stream. 



About noon Arniston House was reached, where the party were 



hospitably entertained by Sir Robert Dundas, Bart. A halt of 



twenty minutes for lunch was made, and then the way was 



continued to Temple, Arniston being left for inspection on the 



way back. In the glen opposite Arniston were a number of 



introduced , shrubs and trees, one or two specimens of Abies 



nobilis being very conspicuous with their silvery foliage. There 



was also a fine clump of Sea Buckthorn (Hippo phae rhamnoides). 



The bushes seemed very healthy and well grown, but bore no 



fruit. On the side of the stream at Temple was a large Ash, 



14 feet 1J inches at 5 feet 3 inches on west side. In the centre 



of the fork, about 30 feet from the ground, a young Elm was 



growing. 



The Rev. J. W. Blake, M.A., minister of Temple, now joined 



