174 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



from the interest of a brief recapitulation of our chrono- 

 logical records, as the form is practically extinct in " Clyde."' 

 Bones of Cats were found by Mr. John Smith in both 

 the surface and middle deposits in Cleaves Cove, Dairy, and 

 also in the Ardrossan Shell-mound; Sir Walter Scott, writing 

 of the fourteenth centuiy, says in Castle Dangerous that the 

 " Wild Cat was frequently surprised in the dark ravines or 

 swampy thickets" of Douglas Dale; in 1791' it is reported from 

 Ballantrae as amongst the " animals common to the West of 

 Scotland; " in the old Statistical Account (1791-7) it is mentioned 

 from other parishes; in the new Account (1845) it is given 

 from many parishes, usually with a remark on the decrease in 

 its numbers, but in Inveraray (where one was trapped about 

 1828) it was said to be common; John Colquhoun, when a boy, 

 hunted tliem in Dumbartonshire (specimens are in Rossdhu 

 House, Luss, but none killed since 1857); the Hunterian Museum, 

 Glasgow, has specimens from the Buchanan side of Loch Lomond, 

 presented by a fonnei- Duke of Montrose (they are undated, 

 but probably are about 1840); one was killed in Daltote Wood, 

 Kintyre, about 1870; and there is one in Paisley Museum, taken 

 at Gleniffer on 26th January, 1895. Pennant stated that it was a 

 native of Arran, and it is still reported as there in 1845 (Statistical 

 Account). In 1900 feral Cats had a stronghold in the rocks at 

 Slochd an Calamau, near Loch Eanza, and dogs could not dis- 

 lodge them. 



Family Canidoi. 



12. *Canis lupus, L. — Wolf. History and tradition throw 

 some light on the occurrence in our area of this extinct Scottish 

 si>ecies. Co-related place-names are not uncommon. In the 

 Ardrossan Shell-mound bones which are either this species' or 

 the dog's were found. In Jocelin's Life of St. Kentigern 

 (Chap. XX.) there is the story of an episode which took place 

 on the banks of the Mollindinom- (Glasgow) before the end of 

 the sixth century, which shows that the wolf was known 

 then and there. The saint, being in necessity, had, by the 

 power of prayer, called deer to his aid in ploughing. One of 

 them was killed and devoured by an hungry wolf, which rushed 

 upon them from the wood. Kentigern called on the wolf to 



