Children's SiN(aN<; Games. 



99 



well known at St. Andrew's and elsewhere in the east. Yet Mr 

 Crockett's story, though far from being- a masterpiece like " The 

 Raiders," is of value as a life-like picture of those stirring times, 

 and for reviving- an interest in the most powerful feudal family of 

 the south-west of Scotland. 



IMh May, 1897. 



Mr James G. H. Starke, V.-P., in the chair. 



Mzv Memder.-Kr William Gillespie, solicitor, Castle- 

 Douglas. 



Dotiations and Exchanges. ^^xq Secretary laid the follow- 

 mg on the table :— Proceedings of the Nova Scotian Institute of 

 Science, Halifax ; Botanical Papers by Mr Arthur Bennet, F.L.S. 



Exhibit.-m Joliu Corrie showed a stone hammer found in 

 Glencairn, and, so far as known, the only one ever found there. 



Communications. 



I.— Children's Singing Games and Rhymes Current in Kirkbean 

 By Mr S. Arnott. 



In fumiment of a promise made last session, I have now the 

 pleasure of giving th« members of the Society the result of an 

 endeavour to collect some of the singing games and rhymes current 

 among the children of Kirkbean. They diifer little from those 

 which give pleasure t<. the young folks of other localities, and I 

 have not ventured to do much in the way of comparison from want 

 access to suitable books on the subject. One cannot but regret 

 also that the games cannot be presented as they are performed. 

 They lose incalculably from the absence of the happy faces lithe 

 movements, and sweet voices of the children, to whom the; give 

 such keen delight. Delivered in almost monotone, they lack their 

 greatest charm, but this cannot be avoided <iciv cneir 



Others might have been added to the collection, had it not 

 been that illness prevented me from prosecuting my inquiries about 

 these games and rhymes. I owe what have been collected to the 



