K1NCARDINESHIRE. 



457 



Baesidine. How, the stones consist chiefly of sandstone, pudding. 

 >hire stone, limestone, and rotten rock. Sandstone of a red- 

 dish colour is found in great abundance within the 

 coast district, and is chiefly used in building, as being 

 easily cut ; but, in the south-east corner of the coun- 

 ty, there is a quantity of beautiful white freestone of 

 the closest texture, excellently adapted for ornamen- 

 tal architecture. Limestone is found in several parts 

 of the county, but not in great quantities ; and it is 

 chiefly on the cosst, where coal can most conveniently 

 be conveyed, that lime kilns are wrought to any consi- 

 derable extent. Plum-pudding stone composes a prin- 

 cipal portion of the precipitous rocks along the coast. 

 In some places, consisting of small gravel, it is manu- 

 factured into millstones ; and, in other situations over- 

 hanging the sea-coast, it contains stones of eight or ten 

 inches in diameter, which often fall from their beds 

 along the precipices, leaving a continued series of emp- 

 ty sockets, which are occupied as nc*t* by the sea fowl. 

 Of this kind are the noted rocks of FowU'-heugh, about 

 three miles south of Stonehaven, which form a range 

 along the coast abeut a mile in length, and 'joo feet in 

 height. A kind of jasper, of a darkish red, streaked 

 with white, occurs in small detached pieces, all over 

 the low part of the county. I<arge rocks of this stone, 

 and of porphyry, are found, particularly on the banks of 

 the North Esk, where it issues from the Grampian*. 

 Specimens of asbestos are observed in the hills of Bal- 

 nakettle, near Fettercairn. IVhbles of various kinds 

 are found in almost every brook, and particularly in 

 the decayed basaltcs along the coast The Scotch to- 

 paz, or cairngorum unong the Grampians of 

 Kincardine : hut not no frequently a* in the hilli. which 

 are situated farther inland. Nu coal has been discover- 

 ed in any part of the county ; nor any metal-, except 

 in one vi : v itive imn, in loose 



urth of a pound to two 

 I among the soil of 

 kettle, in the parish of 

 basils' heated in a smith's 

 on the farm into horse. 

 >n articles. Some of the 

 Id five pirn of pure iron out ot 

 .-neralK tit a third part. There 



detached | 



pound* 

 a field on 



.1 ; and, by i 

 forge, is iiwle by ' 

 shoe nail*, a: >mm 



larc' \ield five 



the ! 



are no iron work* in the vicinity, nor the slightest ap- 

 pearance of iron oren.nor the most remote tradition of any 

 having been found or used, except in this insulated spot, 

 -urface of this county i' considerably varied. 

 The district on the north sid'e of the Dee, when seen 

 from th<- south. pment a continued succession of 

 woody hills, rising behind each other from the water 

 aide, and boandeq at the distance of six miles by the 

 The tract on the -t' tin- 



row stripe, sloping rapidly from the 

 dsMtmd a! it in the course 



checkered throughout its whole ex- 

 waste land, and wood. The 

 pi Mints a rugged and dreary, but 

 particularly from the south, whether 

 setting rays of the manner sun, or 



lofty mount r'an 

 same river is a n 

 mountains, so as 

 of three n 



tent with 

 Grampian dittri 

 lubhme, prosper 

 beheld under the 



when invested wilh the spotless clothing of the winter 

 snow. The How appears as a vast basin, surrounded 

 by high ground on every side except the south-west, 

 and exhibiting a rich scenery of cultivated fields, thri- 

 itions, and commodious Country seats, The 

 of the coast district, north from Stonehaven, is 

 .Hy flat till it approaches the northern 

 and, notwithstanding the greatest efforts of the 

 xn. ruir n. 



is still dreary and sterile : but, around Stonel-aven, it Kincardine- 

 is highly cultivated, and beautifully diversified. South- *!" rc ' . 

 wards from this town, the appearance is extremely va- """Y""" 

 rious, without two miles conterminous of the same ge- 

 neral aspect ; but, through the progress of tillage and 

 planting, is likely to rival, in natural beauty and orna- 

 mental improvements, even the celebrated South Downs 

 of Sussex. Supposing the whole county to be divided 

 into 100 parts, 50 of these are occupied by high hills 

 and barren heaths incapable of culture ; and, of the 

 other half, 8 are planted, \'2 improveable and partially 

 reclaimed, and 30 only in full cultivation. 



The soil in the northern division, on both sides of Soil. 

 the river Dee, consists chiefly of decomposed granite, 

 intermixed with a portion of moss and decayed vegeta- 

 bles ; and, though not naturally productive, is capable 

 of melioration, by the removal of the large stones on 

 the surface, deep tillage, and the application of lime. 

 Very similar is the soil in that portion of the coast dis. 

 trict, which lies north of Stonehaven, except that it 

 bears a greater proportion of incumbent moss, almost 

 all of which might be converted into the most produc- 

 tive arable land by the application of lime, but much 

 of which is employed in furnishing dried peats as fuel. 

 In the coast district, south from Stonehaven, there are 

 great varieties of soil, from the most fertile loam to the 

 poorest till, or most obdurate clay ; but the loam is 

 most prevalent, and in some places to a considerable 

 depth. A peculiar soil exists in the vicinity of Hervie 

 Water, full of round water- worn stones of every de- 

 scription, (even where the land is 800 or 300 feet 

 above the bed of the river), rendering the ground 

 troublesome in the tillage, but by no means injuring 

 its productive power*. In the whole extent of the 

 How, the soil is almost uniformly a productive loam, 

 resembling in colour the red or grey sandstone, which 

 prevails in the district ; but, in the central hollow, 

 there is a considerable portion of sterile gravel, little 

 susceptible of improvement, which has been chiefly 

 and successfully employed in plantations. 



The wild animal* found in this county nre, the roe- Zoology. 



hicli breed in the woods on the south side of the 

 1 )t-c. hut sometimes stray even into the How district; 

 Foxes, which are numerous over the whole county, and 

 particularly haunt the rocks along the coast ; hares, 

 which are incredibly numerous, and make great de- 

 struction of the turnip crops; the badger, otter, wild- 

 cat, weasel, pole-cat, or funiirt, occasionally ; and even 

 the hedge-hog has recently appeared, (hough formerly 

 never known to ha\ i i in the Mearns. Grouse 



on the hilU, partridge* in the low country, and sea-fowl 

 on the rocky coast, are all equally abundant. Wild- 

 ducks, snipes, and herons, are common in the mar- 

 shy grounds. Wild-geese appear in large flocks in 

 November. The rail also, and the grey and green 

 plover, (the Utter arriving duly about Candlemas), and 

 even a few swans, are occasionally seen. The hunting 

 hawk, or falcon, is still an inhabitant of the county, 

 where it was anciently much renowned ; and the gold- 

 en crested wren is a native on Dee- side. The draco vo- 

 lans, or flying dragon, has been seen in the woods, as 

 large as to measure lour inches between the tips of the 

 win. 



Formerly, this county was united with Porfarthire, 

 from which it was disjoined by Kenneth 1 1. about the 

 year 83S ; snd, according to traditionary history, was cj v 

 given to his brother Mcniia, from whom it takes the tory. 

 name of Mcaru*. I3ut it is observable that it is always 

 3 M 



