Report of Meetings for 1889. By Dr. J. Hardy. 493 



Mr Bertram had suspended on the stair-case, one of the iron 

 oxen yokes, as well as the strong chains, and another peculiar 

 piece of harness, which had been in use here in his father's time. 



The older trees about the castle are elm and ash. The ash 

 timber is much wind-shaken, and several trees are hollowed out 

 in the interior, of which Starlings have taken advantage to 

 nestle within their concavities. They are a recent colony. 

 When we were there they had left for the low country. Jack- 

 daws were once accustomed to build in the chimneys of the 

 castle. The Martins were still frequenting it. Owing to last 

 night's wind, several birds had taken shelter along the side of a 

 planting adjoining the site of the old kirk of Cranshaws. The 

 Chiinney Swallow was particularly numerous. There was also 

 a considerable collection of Pied Wagtails among the old grass, 

 associated with Pipit Larks ; and a young Whinchat, and a Grey 

 Flycatcher, single birds of each, also accompanied them. They 

 looked like a migratory party, moving slowly across the fields 

 and picking up food on their journey. There were a few 

 Cushats at Cranshaws, and the Books were out thus far. 



Mr Turnbull remarks that Badgers used to inhabit the Fox 

 cover, and hopes the} r are there still. 



Mr Bertram, in preparation for the Club's visit, had laid bare 

 the foundation walls of the old church, and re-erected some of 

 the tomb-stones in the churchyard. The church has been of a 

 lengthy oblong shape, with a vestry at the west end. There 

 were two doors to the south wall with flagged entries. A portion 

 of the roughly built eastern end remains (left by the heritors to 

 show the substantiality of the original walls, when compelled to 

 erect a new Kirk), which had beneath it a still older wall. The 

 floor was cleared out, and a large number of crania placed 

 together were come upon underneath. Two crania of extra- 

 ordinary proportions were connected with some gigantic thigh 

 bones. Five oyster shells were turned out, some coffin handles, 

 and some slips of zinc or lead for enclosing window-glass. Near 

 the supposed vestry, a Greywacke stone incorporated in the 

 present wall, is hollowed out, like the half of a basin. It was 

 believed to have been part of a drain to carry off the water 

 that had washed the priest's hands. 



On several of the tomb-stones there were some beautiful 

 ornamental carvings, and foliageous decorations round the 

 margins or tops, as well as on the corners of throughs. The 



