4l8 HIGHLAND AND AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



quarterly publication ; it was continued to be brought out 

 along with the Journal of Agriculture till 1865, when its 

 eleventh volume was completed. It contains above 550 

 reports. 



Fourth and Present Series, iS66-i8'/8. 



The second and third series of the Transactions were 

 published by Messrs Blackwood, and were sold to members 

 at a reduced price. A feeling, however, had long prevailed 

 that the Society should issue them to members without 

 charge. This desire the Directors, in 1866, found them- 

 selves enabled to gratify, owing to the increased opulence 

 of the Society. For the first six years, two annual num- 

 bers formed a volume. In 1872, the publication was 

 changed to, and is still brought out as, an annual volume. 

 The free issue of the Transactions to members has neces- 

 sarily created a considerable increase of expenditure ; but 

 as it is incurred to meet the generally expressed wish of 

 the Society, it is regarded as a legitimate application of the 

 funds. 



In 1794, the Chairman or Convener of the Publication 

 Committee was Sir Alexander Ramsay of Balmain, Bart. 

 From that date, various members of the Board have acted 

 as convener, in particular, Mr Henry Mackenzie (author of 

 ' The Man of Feeling'), who wrote the Introductions to the 

 first six volumes ; Mr Graham DalycU (afterwards Sir John 

 Graham Dalyell) ; Mr John Francis Erskine of Mar (who 

 had the family honours restored to him in 1824, and 

 became the seventh Earl of Mar and twelfth Lord Erskine) ; 

 Professor Low ; Mr Thomas Jameson Torrie, F.R.S.E. ; 

 Professor Gregory ; Mr George Makgill of Kemback. In 

 1853, Mr Alexander Forbes Irvine of Drum was named 

 Mr Makgill's successor, and he has now for a period of a 

 quarter of century held the office of Chairman. 



The editor of the first volume of the first series was 

 the Rev. James Headrick ; and among others who held 

 that office, or edited portions of the first series, are Dr 

 Duncan Forbes and Mr Sheriff, aided by certain members 

 of the Publication Committee, such as Mr Henry Mac- 

 kenzie and Mr Graham Dalzell. 



