Report of Meetings for 1881. By Jas. Hardy. 427 



and buttresses growing quite over it only a very small portion 

 is visible." The pigeons resorted to tbis trough for water, and 

 bence it is called tbe " Doo-well." Tbere are two very fine 

 asbes in a row of trees on tbe soutb side of tbe policy park and 

 road, at 60 feet above tbe sea-level. Tbe one is 83 feet bigb ; 

 12 feet length of tbe bole; 11 feet in circumference at 1 foot; 

 and 9ft. 2in. at 5 feet from the ground; tbe other is 100 feet 

 bigb; 18 feet length of tbe bole; 16ft. 2in. circumference at 1 

 foot, and lift. lOin. at 5 feet from the ground. This girths lift. 

 6in. at 12 feet high, and is a splendid tree. The "Birlie Tree" 

 stands in a space outside tbe lodge, where formerly two roads 

 met. The " Birlie Court" of tbe land-owner is said to have 

 convened under its shadow. It is even alleged that those cul- 

 prits who received a capital doom here, were taken to the 

 " Gallow-law " at Presmennan, and tbere suspended ; but this is 

 to misunderstand tbe design of such conventions ; and the Gallow- 

 law was under the jurisdiction of another superior. The Birlie 

 Tree is an ash, a very ill-thriven zig-zag example. Although 

 sickly looking it produces a heavy crop of ashen-keys. 



In the east gable of the stables, a stone bearing a shield 

 with tbe arms of tbe Hay family is inserted, which bad been 

 brought from old stables, that bad been formed out of a kind 

 of barn for the reception of rents and dues in kind. A very 

 rudely cut human head has also been transferred from the one 

 structure to the other. This last may have belonged to a chapel 

 of a bypast age. 



The state of the weather having prohibited explorations by 

 following the course of tbe burn, I will here state the results of 

 of a passing survey, which I made in that direction two days 

 previous to tbe meeting ; my inquiries being chiefly devoted to 

 tbe zoology of the neighbourhood. I entered tbe grounds of 

 Belton in company with tbe gamekeeper, from the public road 

 at Beltonford. There is an old waulk-mill near the entrance of 

 tbe haugh that the burn intersects. On the north side a hole once 

 frequented by badgers was pointed out. A race of badgers I am 

 told is still preserved in Presmennan woods, where the marks 

 of their scratching are occasionally discernible, and they still 

 retain a privileged home at Newbyth. Tbere are no polecats at 

 Belton, but stoat-weasels, in diminishing numbers, still hold 

 their ground. Tbe haugh is of considerable breadth but is 

 liable to be furrowed by inundations, and marred with gravel. 



