28 Field Meetings. 



him in his severe illness, arising partly from ovei'-exertion at the 

 last Field Meeting. On reaching the top of the hill, the party 

 found a brilliant floral spectacle spread out all around, over many 

 acres, the summits of the surrounding hills being completely 

 covered with the beautiful purple flowers of the ling (Erica 

 tetralix). Here the party rested for a short time, and a more 

 chai-ming place at this season of the year could scarcely be 

 imagined. The view from this point is most striking, and 

 includes a wide stretch of country of richly picturesque features. 

 The Nith directs the eye southward amongst lands diversified as a 

 garden, and points to the deep blue mass of Criffel, at whose feet 

 sleeps in calm beauty the silvery Loch Kindar, and beyond to the 

 wide expanse of the Solway and the dim outlines of Skiddaw and 

 other Cumberland mountains. To the northward a broad valley 

 stretches away till it becomes narrowed and shut in by cultivated 

 hillsides, and overhung at the extremity by the dark, conical form 

 of Queensberry. Towards the west, Lochaber and Lochrutton are 

 the most striking points of the landscape, which is engirdled by a 

 confused mass of hills stretching far away on the horizon. Pro- 

 ceeding down the glen towards Mabie House, numerous insects 

 were secured, amongst the butterflies being the Grayling (Satyrus 

 semele), which nowhere in this locality occurs more abundantly 

 than on Mabie ; the Ringlet (Epinephele hyjjeranthus) ; Small 

 Heath (Coenomjmpha pamphilus) ; the Meadow Brown (JS. 

 Janira) ; Dark Green Fritillary (Argynus aglcda) ; the Pearl- 

 bordered Fritillaiy (A. Euphrosyne) ; the Small do., do. (A. 

 Selene) ; the Common Blue (Lyceana icanis) ; and Scotch Argus 

 (L. Artaxerxes). Amongst the moths the best were the Mountain 

 Carpet (Larentia coesiata), the Concolorous (Tapinostola fulvi), 

 and the Pui-ple and Gold (Pyrausta purpuralis). A fine specimen 

 of the Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) was also secui-ed, and 

 the best finds made by the botanists were some pretty lilac and 

 white varieties of Polygala vulgaris. At Mabie House the party 

 were shown over the premises, and some parts of the ancient 

 dwelling-place, on which the present mansion is built, were 

 pointed out. The party next examined the fine old canoe which 

 was found when draining Mabie Moss. It is in fine preservation, 

 and a new hut has recently been erected over it, which will enable 

 it the better to resist time's destroying hand. It is of oak, and 

 measures about fourteen feet in length and about three feet in 



