116 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 
as to leave the tree very little free bole. A visit was afterwards 
made to the nursery of young trees, which contains many native 
and foreign species. Before leaving the grounds, an ash (Frawxinus 
excelsior) was measured and found to girth 11 ft. 102 in. at 
4 ft. 3 in, 
Batman, 8th July, 1893.—The following plants were noted at 
this excursion :— 
Nasturtium palustre, DC., Rubus sawatilis, Linn., Lobelia Dort- 
manna, Linn., Scutellaria galericulata, Linn., S. minor, 
Linn., Lysimachia vulgaris, Linn., Polygonum minus, Huds., 
Eleocharis acicularis, Sm., and Carex vesicaria, Linn. 
Troon, 5th August, 1893.—This excursion was arranged jointly 
with the Geological Society of Glasgow. The party, numbering 
about 20, arrived at the town about 3.45, and proceeded north- 
wards along the shore in the direction of Irvine. On waste 
ground, near the town, some interesting ballast plants were 
observed ; and various raised beaches, which were finely seen, 
were afterwards pointed out by Mr. John Smith, Kilwinning. 
In the sandhills, near Irvine, attention was drawn to some very 
interesting geological and archeological remains. Beds of marine 
shells, including various arctic species, are raised above sea-level, 
and extend to the banks of the River Irvine, which has cut 
through a portion of the deposit. About a hundred species have 
been gathered by Mr. Smith, and by Mr. Downs, Irvine ; and the 
latter gentleman last winter discovered the remains of a whale in 
the neighbourhood of these shell-beds. 
It is also evident that pre-historic man has had a settlement 
near this place, as flint implements, beads, fragments of pottery, 
&c., have been found in considerable numbers. A few of these 
relics were picked up by several members of the party. 
But perhaps the most interesting of these remains was a 
structure discovered by Mr. Downs.during the present year. It 
is wholly covered by sand, but lies immediately under the surface, 
and consists of a circular structure, about two feet in diameter 
and two feet in height, formed of water-worn stones ranging in 
dimensions from the size of the fist to about double that size, the 
