Field Meetings. 165 



The party next proceeded down the Garpel Glen, but as they 

 entered it, an ominous sign-board cautioned the visitors from 

 "gathering flowers and ferns." This caution was rigidly 

 respected, for witli the exception of the common agrimony 

 (Agrimonia Eupatoria), none of the plants were deemed worthy a 

 place in the botanist's vasculum, the glen having long ere this 

 been pillaged by the wanderers of all the scientific societies in 

 the country. As no flowers were to be had, two hours were 

 spent in collecting mosses and searching for graptolites among 

 the shales and in the bed of the stream. The party continued 

 their course down the stream until they came to the railway 

 bridge, when they ascended the embankment and walked along 

 it until Beattock Station was reached. The old bridge across 

 the Annan was next visited, and from there, they continued 

 along tiie road to Moft'at, halting, however, at the " three stanin' 

 stanes," and %'isiting Loch House Tower. At a short distance from 

 Moflfat, near the railway bridge, they visited a section of the 

 railway cutting where a dyke of trap was exposed Arriving in 

 Moflfat about five o'clock, they spent the interval until train- 

 time in visiting the wells or other places of interest in the town. 



Among the finds of the day were — Empetnim nigrum, in fruit ; 

 Parnassia palustris, and Viola lutea. The following graptolites 

 were identified by Mr Dairon : — Munogmptiis Sagittarius, M. tenuis, 

 M. inter mediiis, and Diplograjjtus foliaceus. 



LocHMABEN, BoRMONT, AND Kelhead. — Gt/i September, \SiH. 



The last Field Meeting of the session was lield on tlie 6tli 

 September, when a party numbering about twenty left the 

 Fountain at 9.30 in waggonettes for Lochmaben. Arriving at 

 Bruce's Castle, they wei-e met by the llev. W. Graliam, who con- 

 ducted them round the ruins, and narrated several incidents 

 connected with the history of the building. Mr Graham expressed 

 the hope that Mr R. Jardine, M.P., would co-operate with Mr 

 Hope-Johnstone and the Town Council of Lochmaben in having 

 the interior and exterior cleared of rubbish, and the structure 

 repaired. Having spent an hour in examining tlie ruins, and 

 awarded Mr Graham a vote of thanks, they returned to the con- 

 veyances and continued their journey to Dormont. 



