Meetings of Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, by J. Hardy. 407 



Sandstone is the prevalent rock in Dunglass Dean, a newer forma- 

 tion than the Old Red. There are in it indications of coal, and there 

 are the remains of old diggings for this fuel in the woods ; in all 

 likelihood barren of result, the coal measures of East Lothian 

 being higher in the geological scale. 



The Water-ouzel (Cindus aquations) and the Grey Wagtail 

 {Motacilla boarula) haunted the burn. It has been recently stated 

 that the Grey Wagtail is scarce in Berwickshire (Scottish 

 Naturalist, 1878, p. 328), but this is a great mistake. It is, 

 however, to a considerable extent migratory. It makes its 

 transit duly with its white congener across Malta to and from 

 North Africa, in company with other birds of passage. (Adams' 

 Notes on the Nile Valley and Malta). It sojourns in Sussex 

 during the winter, departing for the north in the spring. In the 

 marshes on the opposite side of the burn, grow large beds of 

 JEupatorium cannabinum ; and Hypericum humifusum and the 

 Red Pimpernel, appear in the pastures. Two black-currant 

 bushes have sprung up beside a runnel, nearly opposite Dean 

 MiU. 



The first house and holding at Oldhamstocks is called the 

 Crimmels. It has no connection with Oliver Cromwell, although 

 you are told that it has. The village is much scattered, and 

 somewhat in decay. The village green is of small compass. 

 The fair, now defunct, is of little more than two hundred years' 

 antiquity. In 1672, John, Earl of Tweeddale, obtained an Act 

 for two fairs yearly and a market, which were held on this green. 

 The Parish Church, which was visited, is of limited extent. It 

 has lately been renovated. The church probably stands on old 

 lines, but now little remains of early construction, unless it be the 

 ancient window in the aisle on the east. On the gable wall of 

 this aisle there are two coats of arms, the one on the upper half 

 contains the arms of Hepburn of Blackcastle, and the letters 

 T.H. ; the lower portion has the ingrailed cross of the Sinclairs, 

 with the initials M.S. The date is 1581. This is believed to be- 

 long to Thomas Hepburn, the first Protestant parson or minister, 

 and Margaret Sinclair, his wife. The date is a little discrepant. 

 The second or newer sculptured shield represents on the one side 

 the arms of the Hepburns of Blackcastle, and on the other half 

 those of the Patersons of Bannockburn, the whole sur- 

 mounted by the Hepburn crest and the motto, "I keep 



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