480 ME. S. GEIETE OK THE DISCOYEEY 



being obtained in a new locality along with other animal debris 

 under peculiar conditions, warrant my offering the present con- 

 tribution to the Society. 



During the summer of 1879 the writer formed one of a small 

 party who visited the island of Colonsay, to which is attached 

 at low water the islet of Oronsay, the intervening strand being 

 dry for about three hours each tide. Finding we had entered 

 upon a new field for study, we began to make a list of the 

 flora, which has been published in the Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinb. 

 (vol. xiv. parts 1 & 2). In the beginning of May 1880 we 

 returned to the islands, and were struck with the remarkable 

 appearance of a cone-shaped mound, on the eastern side of Oron- 

 say. We shortly afterwards learned that Pennant, when be 

 visited the island in 1772 *, bad noticed the place, and describes 

 it as a tumulus. Our repeated inquiry among the islanders as 

 to what the mound was, or if they knew any tradition regardiug 

 it, resulted in their only knowing it by the name of Caisteal-nan- 

 Gilleanf. 



Having in the winter following made the acquaintance of Mr. 

 William Gralloway, well known for his antiquarian researches in 

 Scotland, and finding that some years previously he had visited 

 Oronsay, we agreed to revisit the island, and did so early in 

 June 1881, in company with Mr. Ales. Galetley, curator of the 

 Museum of Science and Art, Edinburgh. 



Permission to make an excavation having been granted 

 by Mr. Malcolm McNiell, the brother of the proprietor of the 

 islands (Sir John Carstairs McNiell, V.C.), we proceeded forth- 

 with. Our cutting was commenced at the base, and we worked 

 inwards, but found the labour toilsome, and even dangerous, as 

 large quantities of sand were continually falling overhead. At 

 last we found it impossible to work straight in upon the same 

 level on which we started, and had gradually to work upwards, 

 keeping the bottom of our trench about ten feet from the surface 

 as we steadily excavated towards the middle of the mound. 



While we were engaged in digging, Mr. Galloway was busy 

 measuring and marking off the ground. He ascertained that the 

 hillock is 150 feet in diameter, and nearly circular in form, the 

 height being about 30 feet on the eastern side, which gives the 

 greatest elevation, as the ground rises considerably on the west. 

 On the south-east of the mound there is a sand-pit, whence pro- 



* Pennant, ' Tour through the Western Isles,' Lond. 1772. 



t In the Gaelic literally the Castle of the Servants (Gillies or followers). 



