Castle ok Greenan. 95 



II. — Notes of a Naturalist in West Africa. By Dr J. \V. Maktin, 

 Holywood. 



Dr Martin, HoIywof)d, submitted some " Notes of a Naturalist 

 in West Africa," the result of his observations during- a residence 

 of seveial years when acting as medical officer at one of the trad- 

 ing- stiitions ; and he exhil)ite(l an extensive and interesting- collec- 

 tion of natural history specimens, including' a beautiful python skin, 

 scorpions, lizards. Goliath and horned beetles, and large land shells. 



Ul.—T/ie Castle of Gree/ia/i. \^y Rev. R. SiMPSON, H.D.. 

 Dunscore. 



The ancient land of Carrick. extending- from the banks of Doon 

 to the borders of Galloway, is yradualh^ becoming better known. 

 Time was when the tourist stopped short of it, thinking- that nothing 

 woithy of his attention lay beyond what he chose to call the Land 

 of Burns. The knowledge of the Burns pilgrim is not always 

 commensurate with his enthusiasm, and he sometimes forg-pts that 

 a most important part of the poet's life was spent with his mother's 

 people at Kirkoswald, in the rery heart of Carrick. There is great 

 wealth of historical association, along- with vast treasure of anti- 

 quarian lore, bound up with the old castles of which the district is 

 full. These feudal fortresses make the country between the Doon 

 and the Stinchar I'esemble a bit of the Rhineland, where every 

 height bears some ancient ruined tower, each with its own grim 

 legend of war, or sweet, sad story of human passion to tell. 



Near the northern boundary of Carrick stands the ruined tower 

 of Greenan. It is perched on the summit of a rock, rising- abruptly 

 from the level fields near the Doon. The tide comes up to the very 

 base of the cliff. The castle commands an extensive view. West- 

 ward across the sea are the peaks of Arran, always majestic in 

 their appearance. To the north is the grand sweep of the Bay of 

 Ayr, with an almost unbroken line of houses extending- from the 

 •' auld toon " itself to the busy seaport of Ard'-ossan. Over the 

 low hills may be seen, if the day is clear, the shadowy form of 

 Ben Lomond. Inland lies the fertile strath watered by the Doon 

 and to the south the view is closed by the perpendicular cliffs of 

 the Heads of Ayr, the haunt of hawk and sea fowl. 



Centre of this delightful scene stands the ruined tower, lonely 

 and grim, reminding- one in its appearance and situation of the 



