14 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL BISTORT SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



patches of the roof had given way, so that the rails were 

 blocked, and it was impossible to take in the waggon. We 

 accordingly had to get out and leave it, proceeding on foot. 

 In some places the water was half-way up to our knees, and 

 this, perhaps, for two hundred yards. At some distance from 

 the mouth we came to a formidable obstacle. A large portion 

 of the roof had given way, and we had to scramble over the 

 debris, betwixt which and the roof there was just sufficient 

 room to crawl on our bellies, and no more. Williamson, Gray, 

 and my brother had come for the special purpose of capturing a 

 very rare moth, Tinea stella, found only in this mine. I had 

 gone to see the geology of it, and for general purposes. Garden 

 and Stevenson were prompted by curiosity. When we had 

 gone in a good way we moved off into a side working to the 

 left or west, where the Tineas had been found plentifully on a 

 former occasion. Going up about a hundred yards, we came 

 to a second considerable slip. It was easily got over, but when 

 we went down the opposite side we found the air was not good. 

 The lamps burned dimly, and the candles went out altogether. 

 This being the case, we deemed it advisable to retrace our steps. 

 Before doing so, Dempsey retrimmed the lamps, but forgot to 

 bring away the oil flask with him. We did not notice this 

 omission at the time, nor, indeed, until it was too late to rectify 

 the mistake. Up to this time one or two Tineas had been seen, 

 but none captured. The foul air had a palpable taste, but I did 

 not feel my breathiiig affected in the slightest degree. I felt 

 slightly nervous, however, when my light went out three times 

 in succession, and thought it best to be off. We went back till 

 we came to the main way. Mackintosh was first, and set off 

 up the principal adit, taking one of the boys with him, who 

 was to come back and tell us if Tineas were to be had. 

 Williamson also went with him. The rest of us waited a 

 while, and then sent the other two boys up to see if they were 

 going to return. When we had waited half-an-hour, which we 

 spent in examining the limestones and shales for fossils, we 

 tired, and set off up the main line after the others. We had 

 gone some way when Mackintosh and one of the boys met us. 

 They had found Tineas, and had come down to see if we were 

 coming up. I immediately set off to join Williamson, who was 



