168 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [Sess. lxxvii. 



Braes " westward from the point where the line enters 

 them, have been completely swept of the wood by which 

 they were adorned." In addition to the destruction of the 

 Braes by the railway, the walk, which the town's people 

 had enjoyed from time immemorial, was gradually absorbed 

 by the neighbouring feuars and proprietors, and latterly 

 the Town Council of Dundee, in its wisdom (or otherwise), 

 deprived the city of as attractive a bit of foreshore as any 

 in the kingdom. Miles of stone and concrete and unlimited 

 " dumping ground " are poor substitutes for the loss. 



While Gardiner was working at these manuscript 

 magazines and making the " peregrinations " of which 

 he gives the results, he was also doing his daily " darg " as 

 an umbrella-maker and mender, and doing it well. He 

 had finished his five years' apprenticeship with Mr. Barclay, 

 and had been engaged as a journeyman with Mr. George 

 Robertson, hosier and umbrella-maker, near Thorter Row. 

 He remained in Mr. Robertson's employment till he fairly 

 quitted that occupation altogether and devoted himself to 

 plant collecting. For many years parcels and letters 

 dealing with natural history matters were always asked 

 to be addressed care of Mr. Robertson. As showing that 

 even in the mending of umbrellas there was a possible 

 field for natural history observation, in one of his 

 journals he gives an account, with a drawing, of a curious 

 little insect, allied to the scorpion family, which he found 

 upon an umbrella left for repair. Mr. Robertson took an 

 interest in his workman's tastes and pursuits, and allowed 

 him opportunities for botanical excursions farther from 

 home than the Sidlaws and the country in the vicinity of 

 Dundee. These wanderings on nature studies bent were 

 all helping forward a purpose Gardiner had in view so 

 early as 1831, and part of which only was realised by the 

 publication of " The Flora of Forfarshire " in 1848. In the 

 " Botanical Repository " for August 1831, he writes that, 

 " in conjunction with William Jackson, we propose writing, 

 during the winter, a Natural History of Forfarshire, our 

 native county, in which undertaking we are desirous of 

 receiving the assistance of our friends and acquaintances." 

 He hoped "they would institute a research among their 

 notebooks, to supply us with matter." He did not get the 



