Field Meetings. 21 



health and song, and most of them nesting. Artificial fish-ponds 

 were also inspected. In these Mr Sturrock has been engaged 

 reai-ing various sorts of fish for transference to the Urr, which 

 flows close by; but the severity of last winter has somewhat 

 endangered his plans. After being handsomely entertained in 

 the manse, this party left for Castle-Douglas in time to catch the 

 7.40 train. 



The more enthusiastic Members wei-e still engaged in botanising, 

 insect-collecting, and angling at Corsock, and it was sevei'al hours 

 after before they thought of home. Some of these gentlemen 

 went to Castle-Douglas to catch the late train ; but the others, 

 including all the prominent Members of the Society, walked home 

 to Dumfries, arriving before the others, who preferred the slower 

 mode of progression by train. We need not add anything more 

 as a proof of the healthy vigour- induced by an enthusiastic pursuit 

 of natural history. 



The Third Meeting was held on July 7th, when the Mem- 

 bers, on the invitation of Mr T. R. Bruce, visited Slogaiie 

 and the banks of the Dee in the \-icinity of Loch Stroan. Mr 

 Bruce is a Member of the Society, and is a keen observer and 

 student of Nature. A visit to his domain was looked forward to 

 with pleasant anticipations, and these were not disappointed. 

 Owing to the school holidays having commenced in Dumfries, the 

 number of Members who left by the seven o'clock morning train 

 was smaller than usual. Some astonishment was felt that Dal- 

 beattie, Castle-Douglas, and Kirkcudbright sent so few accessions 

 to the party. A grand new museum is about to be erected in the 

 comity town of the Stewartry, and it does not augur well for the 

 usefulness of such an institution when the burgh coidd not send 

 a few representatives to such a meeting. Let us express a hope 

 that the votaries of science and students of local history will not 

 be so backwai'd on future occasions. The museum will only be very 

 partially useful unless free intei'course is promoted among scientists 

 and archseologists in the district. At New-GaUoway Station the 

 company were cordially received by Mr Bruce, and Mr M'Andrew, 

 New-Galloway, whose success as a student of botany, and valuable 

 contributions to the science as the results of his observations in 

 the Glenkens, have earned for him a considerable reputation. As 



