Place Names in Kirkpatrick-Durham. 253 



We have also Auchenhay, where in old da\s was an open-air kiln, 

 a place for drying the grain. 



As they had grain to dry they were to some extent at least 

 tillers of the soil. They had also sheep, for their name survives 

 in Darngarroch=:" the field of the sheep." Where sheep were 

 grazing a summer residence of some kind was needed for those 

 who had charge of them, and as the Gaelic word for a shelling 

 is Airidh, so we have still a trace of that word in Areeming. 

 Pigs would also appear to have been among their possessions, 

 if we can be sure that Kilnabony really means " the place of 

 the piglings." 



[The names of two adjoining fields on the property of Crofts 

 have come down to these days, one of them Kilnabony and the 

 other Kilnapany. It seems to me not altogether impossible, 

 especially as an ancient chapel was in close proximity, that a 

 holy man or saint had his cell or Kil in that part, and that his 

 name was Nabony. The name Nabony is an old Galloway one. 

 I had a family of Nabonys as parishioners who were of an old 

 Galloway stock. I think it is possible that the field Kilnabony 

 commemorates a holv man of that name. If so, the other name 

 Kilnapany would be an invention of some one who tickled his 

 fancy with a sort of rhyming correspondence of sound.] 



I have alluded to the sheep and the pigs. An animal which 

 was reared and esteemed a delicacy amongst the Gaelic-speaking 

 residents of Galloway was the badger. The flesh of the badger 

 is said to be excellent eating. Those people had places in which 

 they bred and reared their badgers. Such a place was called 

 Rrockloch. We have actually two places of the name in the 

 parish — two old badger-warrens. Not only did those people 

 possess sheep and badgers and perhaps pigs, goats were climbing 

 on their hills. Doubtless they knew how to bring one down when 

 it was wanted, either for its flesh or for its milk. Slongaber was 

 the place which took its name from the goats which frequented it. 



But w-hile they were fortunate in having so many useful 

 associates, there were others against which they would carry on 

 a constant warfare. Wolves, which are long since extirpated, 

 had found shelter in Tarbreoch. Foxes, not so very long since 

 driven from the parish, were in those clays seen on Shinnie Brae. 

 Wild cats roamed in the neighbourhood of Lochenkit. Perhaps 

 some might be found there still. Adders gave their name to 



