92 Field Meetings. 



discussed — Rev. Mr Andson taking the chairman's seat and Dr 

 Maxwell Ross, secretary of the society, that of croupier — the 

 visitors enjoy a ramble about the grounds, noting among other 

 objects of interest a beehive of peculiar construction brought by 

 Mr Wallace from Egypt when on a visit to his brother while he 

 was agricultural adviser to the Khedive. It is a hollow cylinder 

 of baked clay, having the ends stopped by a perforated plate of 

 the same material. Mr Wallace is himself known for his skill as 

 an apiarist, as well as for the rearing of high-class dairy stock of 

 the Ayrshire breed and of mountain sheep; but his Eastern 

 observation has not led him to discard the wood for the clay. 

 A section of the party walked up the glen to see Appin Linn, 

 where there is a waterfall in a pretty bosky setting. Here the 

 yellow globe flower (Trollins ^uropeas) was found growing in 

 great clumps in the meadows ; and the moonwort fern was 

 obtained. 



Before quitting Auchenbrack they were again invited to par- 

 take of refreshments, and the Rev. Mr Andson conveyed to Mr 

 Wallace the thanks of the company for the very generous recep- 

 tion which they had experienced. A business meeting was also 

 held, when Mr Wallace, Mr Brown, Bennan ; the Messrs Laurie, 

 Tynron ; and Mr M'G-ookan (Mr Shaw's successor at the school- 

 house in the glen), all of whom had joined the party, were pro- 

 posed and elected as members of the society. On the motion of 

 Mr Andson, it was resolved to record an expression of regret at 

 the death of Mr Peter Gray, who was long an active member of 

 the society. It was arranged that the next field meeting should 

 be to Moffat district. 



The homeward drive in the cool of the evening was greatly 

 enjoyed, and the play of the rays of the westering sun and the 

 cloud shadows on the hill-sides presented panoramic effects. 

 Leaving the former route at Penpont, the coach bowled smartly 

 down the valley of the Scaur until the Barjarg limeworks were 

 reached, passing on the way Courthill smithy, with its mural tablet 

 telling that this was the home and workshop of Kirkpatrick 

 M'Millan, the inventor of the bicycle, and also Keir Church and 

 village. A halt was made at Barjarg, and under the guidance of 

 one of Messrs Houston & Rubison's staff (who are the lessees) the 

 party entered the lime quarries and proceeded to explore them as 

 far as the working face. The rock is not quarried from the open 



