TRANSACTIONS. 59 
15th April, 1888. 
At a meeting of the Council at which Mr Roprerr Murray, 
V.P., presided, the Secretary submitted the following letter from 
the Rey. R. H. Taylor, M.D., to the Rev. Robert W. Weir: 
LiverpooL, 1 Percy STREET, 
April 14, 1888. 
Drak 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 MS, History of the Parish and Town of 
Dumfries, written by my grandfather, the Rey. William Burnside, D.D., 
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 wish 
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 Corberry Hill, in the Parish of Troqueer. 
It affords me much pleasure to hand over this interesting narrative to 
those 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 Rev. Robert W. Weir for being the means of 
procuring this valuable document. 
Field Meeting. 5th 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 walls of Barclosh Tower is still standing, 
although in a very decayed condition, adjacent to the farm-house. 
The walls are over three 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 
