VI PREFACE. 



that a statement made, or an opinion expressed, is the 

 result of a comparison of two or more authorities rather 

 than the unqualified averment of a single individual. 



In acknowledging his obligations to several friends who 

 have supplied information on particular points, the author 

 feels it right to say that he has been specially indebted to 

 Mr. Alexander Cruickshank, M.A., whose unwearied in- 

 dustry in the collection of facts and statistics is not more 

 marked than his unselfish readiness to make his stores of 

 knowledge available to others. 



The sketch of a twelve oxen plough, which forms the 

 frontispiece, is from the skilful and accurate pencil of Mr. 

 Andrew Gibb, F.S.A., Scot. ; and was taken from the 

 specimen in Marischal College Buildings mentioned at 

 page 33. The beam remained entire at date of drawing ; 

 the stilts, &c , had to be somewhat helped out from the 

 parts of them still extant, and a certain measure of tra- 

 ditional knowledge. And as the plough is drawn to scale, 

 readers interested in such matters, and who care to do so, 

 will be able to compare its size and the proportion of parts 

 with those of the improved plough of the present time. 



ABERDEEN, April, 1877. 



