122 Effects of the Winter of 1878-9, by James Hardy. 



and shape of a huge circular potato pit inverted, viz., a con- 

 cave, and some are irregular in shape, but all are of course 

 hollow and they vary in depth from four or five to about twelve 

 feet. But change is always in operation, though slow in its 

 nature ; for moderately deep holes are, almost imperceptibly it is 

 true, gradually growing deeper, and new hollows are ever and 

 again beginning to show themselves. The grass or heather and 

 surface soil gradually sink along with the soil or rock beneath ; 

 and the hollows therefore are either grass or heath-covered. 

 Here and there an irregularly-shapen hollow shows a deep side 

 hole filled with delightful spring water, and water can be heard 

 running beneath many of the " Kiln Pots." The cause of this 

 peculiar sinking of the land is water. The rock below is mostly 

 of limestone or soft sandstone ; and on those rocks over a long 

 course of years there has been a constant action, more or less, of 

 water, moving under the soil ; and as the softer parts of the rock 

 decay the land, being soft, also sinks. When the " Kiln Pots '' 

 are full of melted snow it is rather a dangerous affair to walk 

 amongst them. Shepherds, however, know them well, and 

 easily keep clear of them. 



On the Effects of the Winter of 1878-9 on Animal and 

 Vegetable Life on the Borders. 



BEEWIOKSHIRE. 



1. — Oldcamhus hy Coclchurnspath. By James Hardy. 

 The inadequacy of my own limited resources for drawing up a 

 Eeport on the infiuence of the severe and long-continued winter 

 of 1878-9, over a wide district, has induced me to have recourse 

 to those members of the Club who had experienced its effects, or 

 to others who took an interest in such inquiries. I will not at- 

 tempt to summarise the returns, or compare them with other 

 statements. Dr John Duns in the " Transactions of the Eoyal 

 Physical Society of Edinburgh," Mr J. A. Harvie-Brown in the 

 " Transactions of the Natural History Society of Glasgow," and 

 Col. Drummond Hay and others in the " Scottish Naturalist," 

 have made excellent contributions applicable to various parts of 



