Transactions. 59 



lath April, 1888. 



At a meetiug of the Council at wliicli Mr Egbert Murray, 

 V.P., presided, the Secretary submitted the following letter from 

 the Rev. E. H. Taylor, M.D., to the Eev. Eobert W. Weir : 



Liverpool, 1 Percy Street, 

 April 14, 1888. 



Dear Sir, 



Will you oblige me by being the medium of conveying to 

 the " Dumfries and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society" 

 the gifts which I now send of the ilS. History of the Parish and Town of 

 Dumfries, written by my grandfather, the Eev. William Burnside, D.I)., 

 formerly minister of St. Michael's Church. 



The conditions on which I bestow the volume are simply these : 



1. That I may have an exact copy of the same. 



2. That the volume may be open to the inspection of all who w ish 



to see it, subject to the rules of the society. 



3. That in the event of the society being dissolved, the MS. may 



be given to the Museum at present contained in the Observa- 

 tory on the Corberi-y Hill, in the Parish of Tro(iueer. 

 It affords me much pleasure to hand over this interesting narrative to 

 tliose who I know will appreciate it, and doing so will be careful to pre- 

 serve it. 



Be so good as apprise me of the safe arrival of the volume. 

 I am. 



Very sincerely yours, 



R. H. TAYLOR. 

 Rev. R. W. Weir. 



The thanks of the Council were awarded to Dr Taylor for his 



present, and to the Eev. Eobert W. Weir for being the means of 

 procuring this valuable document. 



Field Meeting, oth of May. 



The first excursion for the season took place on the 5th May, 

 when a small party inspected several objects of interest on the 

 farm of Barclosh, Kirkgunzeon, under the guidance of Mr W. J. 

 Maxwell, Terregles Banks, and Mr Wellwood Maxwell of Kirk- 

 ennan. A portion of the Avails of Barclosh Tower is still standing, 

 although in a very decayed condition, adjacent to the fiirm-house. 

 The walls are over tliree feet in thickness, and it is evident that 

 the place has been one of considerable strength. Scarcely an 

 indication remains of the existence of the castle, of which it formed 



