74 Transactions. 



Creel I saw a young otter. Mr Shaw says they are common. 

 He says the Botrychium Lunaria is growing in the field near the 

 Creel. I got a specimen of petrified rush from Sanquhar from 

 [lim, as also three specimens of phosphate of lead. He told me 

 it was customary for the people of the low countries, who lived 

 near fuel, to bring down lead ore from the lead mines and smelt 

 it. One of these smelting stations he directed me to as lying 

 near Eccles. 



25ih Sejjtember. — Went with J. Hunter and Joseph Kilpatrick, 

 Thornhill, to see a vitrified fort in Tynron. It is situated on the 

 farm of Pinzarie, about two miles from Tynron Kirk, up the 

 water of Shinnel, a little from the side of the road. The situa- 

 tion is upon a gently rising hill at the bottom of a moderately 

 high range composed of greywacke, passing into greywacke slate, 

 and distant from the Shinnel water about 500 yards. It presents 

 a slight elevation above the adjacent land in the form of a circle, 

 and as nearly as may be guessed the circumference of the circle 

 is about 80 yards. Running through tlie centre from east to 

 west is a rather prominent elevated ridge, the prominence being 

 chiefly in the middle, composed of loose stones, in no way 

 cemented, but chiefly vitrified. These stones, the largest of 

 which may weigh 14 lbs., bear evident marks of having been in 

 a state of fusion. Some are coated with a coarse-like glass of a 

 brown colour. The internal structure of these stones is porous, 

 somewhat resembling pumice stone, but much denser and of a 

 lead colour, but sometimes of a lead colour approaching to purple. 

 Others again have a somewhat fibi'ous texture, and these are not 

 so porous, while others are devoid of the porous texture, and a 

 good deal re-semble some varieties of green stone, particularly 

 when the grains of quartz are large. I shall return to the notice 

 of these stones after I have submitted them to analysis. Could 

 not find the fort mentioned in tlie statistical account of the 

 parish, but only of the existence of a Roman road and of a Roman 

 encampment. The latter is composed of a quantity of rather 

 small stones, but the larger may have been removed for the 

 building of dykes. It is about 1| miles from the vitrified fort, 

 and upon the top of a range of hills separating Shinnel water 

 from Scar water. Found an account of viti'ified forts in the 

 English Cyclopaedia Art Fort. Found no plants on the way. 

 Brought home some specimens of vitrified stone. 



