76 Transactions. 



plenty. I shall again advei't to this substance. Commenced the 

 skeleton of a flounder. 



20th October. — Worked at the skeleton of the flounder, finishing 

 the removal of the soft parts. Put it to steep over night in a 

 solution of chlorate of lime. 



22nd October. — Put up the skeleton of the flounder. It is the 

 best skeleton I have ever made. 



2Srd October. — I brought in the wasp nest. It was completely 

 empty of wasps, and what is curious is that the wasps have built 

 new combs with their mouths downwai'ds, removing most of the 

 old one which was placed upwards. 



Wth October. — -Went to Thornhill ; saw the sword that was 

 found several years ago beneath the surface of the small rising 

 ground where the Penpont road divides into branches leading to 

 Tynron and Moniaive. The sad Goths, into whose hands it fell, 

 removed the rust by grinding it, and decorated it with a wooden 

 handle wound round with black and red thrumbs. They had 

 broken off a small piece of iron which they said was a spring, in 

 order to fit the handle. As it at present exists it has a double 

 edge. ... It is about 2ifeet long, and it tapers towards 

 the point which is awanting. As to the letters and crown 

 mentioned before there is no trace of either, and its present 

 possessor knows nothing of them. The spring mentioned was 

 probably a handle, the remainder having corroded away. From 

 the state it is in it is devoid of interest. I was told by P. 

 Mounsie that some time since an urn filled with bones w^as found 

 in Closeburn, but was broken in the removal. A man of the 

 name of Sandy Wallace, a weaver, in Thornhill, has some frag- 

 ments of it. 



5th November. — Went to Drumlanrig, and called upon Shaw 

 and Hannan, but neither was in. I saw, when on my way to 

 Drumlanrig, a cock pheasant with a pure white tail and back 

 spotted with white. 



11th November. — In examining the prices of my books marked 

 in my catalogue, I find their value to be £36 17s 4d, and their 

 number 223. 



The following is a statement of the probable expense of my 

 museum : — About 50 vials and bottles, 5s 6d ; 5 preparation jars, 

 3s ; 4 insect boxes, 18s ; shells, 10s 6d ; an enjected arm, 3s 6d ; 

 minerals, 2s 6d ; corals, 6s 6d ; stufied birds and skins, £1 ; 



