Field Meetings. 33 



upon what is confessedly obscure. A stoppage was made at the 

 mause, where the party was received in the kindest possible way 

 by Mr and Mrs Fraser. After partaking of a bounteous supply 

 of refreshments, Mr J. H. Maxwell of the Kirkcudbrightshire 

 Advertiser expressed the keen pleasure of the Members at being 

 again amongst the " Craigs o' Co'en' " — one of the most beautiful 

 portions of the Stewartry — and returned on behalf of the Society 

 their gi-ateful thanks for the hospitable manner in which they 

 had been entertained by Mr and Mrs Fraser. Mr Fraser, in 

 replying, said that when the Society first visited him (on 4th 

 August, 1863) there were upwards of thirty Members present, 

 but not one of those who were there on that occasion did he see 

 l)efore him. Most of those then present were dead now, but he 

 was glad to see another generation arising with all the old 

 enthusiasm and with the great advantages of increased facilities 

 for gaining a knowledge of their local natiiral history and 

 antiquities. Adjourning to the garden, Mr Fraser's interesting 

 collection of hardy plants was examined, but for the majority of 

 them the season was yet too young to see them in flower. Aquilegia 

 glaiululosa, a rare Columbine, was in beautiful bloom. Another 

 fine plant in flower was the Eamondia 2}y7-enaica, with large 

 purple flowers rising from rosettes of deep green foliage. A grand 

 specimen of the Araucaria imbricata was much admired, but the 

 arboricultural feature of the garden is a fine row of Hollies with 

 straight, well-grown stems thirty to forty feet in height. We also 

 noticed a fine plant of Liliiom scovitzianum in flower, the delightful 

 fragrance of which was quite perceptible all over the place. The 

 valuable collection of Auriculas — we believe the only one in the 

 South of Scotland — was just out of bloom, and only one or two 

 flowers remained. Its inspection would have added another to 

 the many attractions of this " manse garden." Again seeking the 

 waggonette, the party were driven to Rockcliffe, whei'e the mag- 

 nificent house in course of erection for Christopher Morris, Esq., 

 was visited, and described by the Clerk of Works. Leaving here, 

 the Members broke into detachments lo follow their particular 

 inclinations — some to visit the site of the Fort on the CastlehUl 

 Point ; and others to collect Mollusca, Insects, Plants, &c. Two 

 of the Members, both enthusiastic ornithologists, stripped off" 

 coats, boots, and other imj^edimenta, and scaled the clifis like 

 practised cragsmen. They were soon busy high up on the rocks 

 examiniiig the contents of sundiy Jackdaws' and other birds' 



3 



