Field Meetings. (j7 



ings in the neighbourhood of Kirkcudbright. At the hour of 

 starting (9 a.m.) a small party assembled at the Dumfries station, 

 but their number was increased on reaching Castle-Douglas and 

 Kirkcudbright. On arriving at Kirkcudbright they were met 

 by Messrs M'Kie and Coles, who were to be the guides for the 

 day, and also by Mr Hamilton of Ardendee and several members 

 of the Kirkcudbright Naturalists' Field Club. 



The first item on the programme was Loch Fergus, about three 

 miles from the station. At a remote period a loch of the above 

 name existed there, but it has long been drained, and what was 

 once the bottom is now cultivated fields. In the twelfth century 

 Fergus, Lord of Galloway, had liis strongliold on one of the 

 islands in the locli, and traces of this and another island were 

 now observed above tlie level of the surrounding fields. From 

 here the party walked througli Glen Lag until Higli Banks was 

 reached. On this farm a number of the cup and rin" marking's 

 have been discovered, and were duly described by Messrs M'Kie 

 and Coles during the Winter Session. (See April Meeting.) 

 From High Banks the walk was continued to the site of old 

 Galtway village, but there is not even a house standing now to 

 mark the spot of this once populous place. Tlie next halt was at 

 Low Milton, where the ring marks are difierent from those dis- 

 covered at other places in the district. Tliese markings wsre tlie 

 first observed in the neighbourhood by Mr W. Tliomson of Ivirk- 

 cudbright, and as that gentleman now formed one of the party 

 he narrated the circumstances under which tlie discovery was 

 made. On the motion of Mr Coles, the Society's tJianks were 

 awarded to Mr Thomson for the action lie had taken, and tlie 

 great interest he had shown in bringing tliese markings under 

 the notice of the public. In this difficult undertaking he was 

 ably assisted by Mr Hamilton and Mr Hornel, as they took casts 

 of the typical markings and forwarded them to the British 

 Museum, to this, and other societies. 



Dunrod Churchyard was next visited, also Knockshinnocli and 

 Balmae, where other markings were seen. A British camp at 

 Drummore subsequently engaged tlie party, but while there 

 the rain, which had been threatening for some time, began to fall 

 heavily, and necessitated their returning to Kirkcudbright earlier 

 tliau they intended. 



