RECORDS OF EXCURSIONS IN AYRSHIRE. 3 1 



The next point of interest was Lagg Quarry, situated in the trap 

 of old red sandstone age, which occupies in this district an area 

 of about 9 square miles. Here some fine specimens of agates 

 were obtained, and in this quarry they sometimes reach a length 

 of 3 feet. Indeed this trap area is at parts exceedingly rich in 

 agates, and on patches of ground broken up by the plough they 

 are sometimes found lying in abundance, but, unfortunately, these 

 stones are generally traversed by weather-flaws. 



About half of the party went down to the shore below Glenayes, 

 the others going nearly as far as Dunure and returning by the 

 shore. The view of the district about Dunure, with its old castle, 

 quaint little harbour, and sea-beaten cliffs, was much admired. 

 On the way back ample opportunity for studying the shore, rocks 

 and cliffs, was afforded. The porphyrites were found to be very 

 amygdaloidal at parts, and when not containing agates the 

 amygdules were composed for the most part of carbonate of lime. 



The most remarkable shore plant of the district is the vernal 

 squill (Scilla verna), a plant not found on either the Kyle or 

 Cunninghame shores of Ayrshire. On the cliffs the rose root 

 {Seduvi Rhodiola) grows luxuriantly and somewhat plentifully, and 

 the milk-white blossoms of the scurvy grass ( Gochlearia officinalis) 

 are in crowning abundance. 



Passing the large hitch (fault) below Lagg, the party was at once 

 confronted by a " change of metals," as the miners say, the traps 

 giving way to fine much-weathered sandstone cliffs penetrated by 

 many caves, some of them having been the habitations of man in 

 byegone ages, and containing deposits in which remnants of his 

 handiwork are lying buried. The sandstones are sharply cut 

 off, as they were brought in, by another hitch (fault) which, when 

 the tide is out, can be traced in the tide-race for some distance, a 

 shelf of sandstone forming a plain of marine denudation, being 

 raised a few feet above the cement-stone group of the calciferous 

 period. Let the thirsty excursionist trace this hitch shoreward, 

 and just at the limit of the beach he will be well repaid by finding 

 a spring of water which "contains abundance of God and costs 

 nothing." The Carrick shore is spread with numerous boulders, 

 many of them being erratics, and amongst the gravel fine solid 

 agates are always to be obtained. The Heads of Ayr are a 

 conspicuous feature, and are composed of a very friable volcanic 



