268 TRANSACTIOXS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



and tlie finely feathered head standing clear and distinct against 

 the sky. Underneath, in a cui-ve of beauty, flows the river — 



" Amang the bonnie winding banks 

 Where Doon rins wimplin' clear." 



The other Pine, near the Union Trees, is known as " The 

 Wishing Tree." Miss Cathcart writes that it " lost its ' wishing 

 branch ' during the severe storm about twenty-five years ago " 

 (evidently the " Tay Bridge Storm," 28th December, 1879) 

 " when many fine trees were blown down here. The wishing 

 branch was much believed in by all the people about here. It 

 grew down from the stem of the tree about 40 feet in a circle 

 to the ground, being hollow in the centre, where two people 

 could easily stand." Have we here a relic of tree-worship ? 



The dimensions of these Pines are — 



(a) 1707 Tree— Girth, 10 ft. 3| in. ; bole, 21 ft. ; height in 1902, 87 ft. 

 (6) Wishing Tree— Girth, 11 ft. 6 in.; bole, 13 ft.; height in 1902, 92 ft. 



Average girth increase in ten years — (a) '55 inch; (6) '75 inch; 

 of 1707 tree during whole life of 198 years, -62 inch per annum. 

 It also seems to be past its period of greatest growth. 



With the exception of one 96 feet high, measured this year at 

 Benmore, Argyllshire, with Dr. A. Henry, F.L.S., these are the 

 highest Scots Firs we have yet found, but we have very few to 

 compare them with. Other Ayrshire specimens are — 



The Auchencruive tree is supposed to have been planted about 

 1700. The average increase in girth for the whole life of the 

 tree is thus '64 inch yearly — almost the same as the Auchendrane 

 tree of about the same age. 



