feEPORTS ON EXCURSIONS. 89 



The "Mermaid" now steamed to Keppel Pier to pick up 

 members arriving by later steamer. Seven were found waiting, 

 and a run was made back to the old ground, in the hope of 

 getting a view of the Whales again, but only one showed itself. 

 A third successful haul of the trawl was taken, and the catch 

 examined by the new an'ivals, when a course was steered for the 

 Marine Station, where the party were landed in time to catch 

 their steamer for Glasgow. As the weather cleared up by 2 p.m., 

 a very pleasant afternoon was spent. 



PoRTiNCROSS AND Faiblie, 12tlx September, 1903 (Conductor, 

 Mr. D. A. Boyd). — Eleven members of this Society proceeded by 

 rail to West Kilbride, where they were met by five members of 

 the West Kilbride Ramblers' Club. On leaving the village, some 

 of the party ascended Crossbill, where a brief pause was made 

 to enjoy the beautiful view from the sunmiit, extending over 

 many miles of land and sea. From the distant mountains of 

 Cowal to the far-away hills of Carrick, a fair expanse of blue 

 water, varied with rock-girt islands and bold promontories, lay 

 shimmering in the mellow autumn sunshine, while on every side 

 stretched golden fields of ripening com almost ready for the 

 reaper. It is very probable that the name of Crossbill (or, more 

 correctly, " Corshill ") and that of the adjoining hamlet of Corse 

 (now a part of West Kilbride) may have been derived from the 

 proximity of these places to a boimdaiy cross of stone or wood 

 such as were sometimes set up in mediaeval times along the 

 march line of ecclesiastical possessions. For the lands which 

 immediately adjoin Crossbill are portions of the estate of 

 Carlung and part of the lands formerly known as " Kilbryd- 

 Cunynghame," which, along with other valuable properties, were 

 granted in 1413, by Sir William de Cunynghame 6i Kilmaurs, in 

 pure and pei-petual alms, for the sustentation of three presbyters 

 to celebrate divine service in the church of Kilmaurs, for the 

 safety of his own soul and those of his parents, and of Henry de 

 Cunynghame, the founder of the said church. In 1170 the 

 church of Kilmaurs had been gi-anted to the Abbey of Kelso, and 

 the lands of Kilbryd-Cunynghame were thus within the jinis- 

 diction of that monastery, while other parts of the parish of 

 Kilbride were subject to the Abbey of Kilwinning. At the 



