RENFREWSHIRE EXCURSIONS. 25 



For the afternoon of 2nd May, 1891, an excursion had been 

 arranged to Upper Pollok, in the Parish of Mearns, a neigh- 

 bourhood famous as the scene of the exploits of that versatile 

 " brither Scot," Christopher North. At Thornliebank station a 

 small party turned up, and they proceeded to Pollok Castle, 

 where they were kindly received by the proprietor, William 

 Fergusson Pollok, Esq. Conducted to the top of the tower, a 

 magnificent view was obtained, as was to be expected from the 

 commanding situation of the castle. To the north-west, the 

 Campsie Fells and Ben Lomond with snow-clad summits j to the 

 west and south-west, Misty Law and the Argyleshire hills ; to the 

 south, the Eaglesham moors, with the long plateau of Ballygeich 

 shutting out further view in that direction ; to the east and north- 

 east, the Clyde valley enveloped in thick haze. Pollok Castle 

 itself is for the most part new, its predecessor, which was built in the 

 seventeenth century, having been almost totally destroyed by fire 

 in 1882. Largely owing, no doubt, to their exposed situation, the 

 grounds contain no trees remarkable for size, although so long 

 ago as the beginning of last century Crawfurd had declared that 

 it was "well planted, and hath good orchards, and large and 

 commodious parks." 



The party proceeded through the grounds to the Glen 

 Reservoir. This dam had some time previous been stocked with 

 the famed Loch Leven trout, and it is interesting to learn that 

 the experiment has resulted somewhat successfully, a number of 

 fair-sized fish having been taken. 



Walkmill Glen was visited on the homeward journey. Here 

 on the rocks were large patches of the aerial orange-coloured alga 

 (Chrookpus aureus, Ktze.), and in the burn were long waving 

 masses of Cladophora gracilis, Ktze. The glen offers also many 

 features of interest to the geologist, among others a fine section of 

 the Cowglen series of limestones. From the shale overlying the 

 limestone numerous fossil shells in excellent preservation were 

 got. 



In the course of the afternoon Mr. John Robertson, of Thorn- 

 liebank, showed two curiosities which excited some interest. One 

 was a robin's nest with three fledglings in an old rusty milk-can, 

 and the other a hedgehog in its simple nest. 



