RECORDS OF EXCURSIONS IN 

 RENFREWSHIRE, 



With Additional Matter. 



By John Paterson. 



Cathcart Parish. — On four occasions excursions have been 

 made to localities in this parish. As to the first visit (15th June, 

 1887) there is, unfortunately, no record in the minutes of what 

 proved a most agreeable excursion. The beautiful and romantic 

 Linn was the rendezvous. Passing the old castle of Cathcart, 

 with a few tufts of wallflower nodding from its walls, the small 

 company representing the Society proceeded by a charming 

 country lane to the Cart. Before leaving the lane, however, 

 attention was called to the rather unusual circumstance that part 

 of the hedgerow here is formed of the hornbeam. This use of 

 the hornbeam, though comparatively unfamiliar to us, is no 

 new thing, as Evelyn was loud in his praise of it as forming the 

 " noblest and stateliest hedge for long walks in gardens or parks of 

 any tree whatsoever whose leaves are deciduous." The banks of 

 the White Cart at the Linn are very steep, and clad to their tops 

 with a variety of deciduous trees chiefly. The beauty and repose 

 of the place formed a most striking contrast to the dreariness and 

 din of the city so lately left behind, and as if to complete the 

 transformation, there, revealed to the astonished gaze of those 

 present, was the " hidden splendour of the stream," the kingfisher 

 darting on rapid wing. Among plants gathered, perhaps worthy 

 of mention were the evening campion {Lychnis vespertine.) and 

 the giant bell-flower {Campanula latifolia). 



An evening visit was paid to the Queen's Park in July, 1887, 

 for the purpose of viewing at a favourable season the rich collection 



