296 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORT SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



in this neighbourhood it is much broader; e.g., in the Eglinton 

 policies it is about 2J miles from the shore. The primeval 

 coast-dwellers may have seen the latest terrace being formed, 

 but neither they nor their successors have left any record of it 

 or of the subsequent rise of the land to the present level. There 

 may have been movements downwards as well as upwards, but, 

 on the whole, the movement has been upwards since the time 

 of the 100-foot raised beach. The old inhabitants have left 

 records of their existence in their flint implements, &c., which 

 have been found in great abundance among the sandhills from 

 Ardeer to Irvine by various investigators, such as Mr. John 

 Smith and Mr. Joseph Downs, both of whom were present at 

 the excursion. These sandhills are composed of drifted sand 

 blown in from the present beach by the prevailing south-westerly 

 winds, and cover the 25-foot beach for many miles from near 

 Saltcoats to Ayr. The drift is so great that it has more than 

 once altered the courses of the streams and rivers. From the 

 parish boundaries we can infer that the Irvine at one time 

 turned northward about a quarter of a mile higher up than it 

 does now, where the whale remains were found, and joined the 

 present course of the Annick Water, which falls into the Irvine 

 about half-a-mile below the said bend. Another alteration has 

 taken place below the town, the river now making a wider loop 

 than it used to do. Timothy Pont, in 1620, wrote that " the 

 chief porte of ye country of Cunninghame is now much decayed 

 from qwhat it was anciently, being stopt with shelves of sand 

 which hinder the near approach of shipping." Cultivation, 

 railway walls, roads will help to prevent further encroachments 

 of the drifting sand. Whether the extension of golf links will 

 do so or not may depend on the skill of the players ! 



Aberdoxjr AND BuBNTiSLAND, 25th May, 1905. — A joint- 

 excursion with the Geological Society of Glasgow took place as 

 above, under the leadership of Mr. J. G. Goodchild, F.G.S., F.Z.S. 



TiNTO, 3rd June, 1905. — An excursion to Tinio, conducted by 

 Mr. James W. Reoch, took place on this date, but nothing of 

 special interest appears in the report. 



RossDuu, Dumbartonshire, 17th June, 1905, — Mr. John 

 Renwick, Conductor. — This excursion was well attended. Pro- 



