ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 203 



southern bank, formed by the edge of an overflow of 

 lava. This overflow of Felspathic Trap can be traced 

 both east and west. Another parallel overflow of a similar 

 character, but on a larger scale, occurs about three miles 

 to the north at Balgone. These overflows emanated from 

 one of the many volcanic vents (notably Traprain Law, 

 North Berwick Law, the Bass Rock, and the Garlton Hills) 

 that at that period existed in this part of the countr}^ 

 Probably this flow came from the neighbourhood of Traprain 

 Law, and it overlies the calciferous sandstones of the 

 district. The lake in its present condition was apparently 

 the outcome of two separate operations. The eastern 

 part was dealt with early in the 19th century. This 

 date I am unable to flx further than that it was some 

 years previous to 1830, the date at which the westmost 

 part was cleaned out. There appears to always have 

 been water, and a deep bog, at the east end, and the 

 same conditions obtained apparently in the eastmost part 

 of the western portion. 



The following is an extract from the journal, dated 

 December 1830 :— 



Smeaton, 



December 1, 1830. 



" Some few horns were found of the red deer in the moss 

 of the pond they are now cleaning out. A week ago the 

 skeleton of a roe deer was found ; and two yeai^s ago, when 

 the eastern part was cleaned out, two entire skeletons of red 

 deer, with lai'ge antlers, were found. One measured about 

 8 feet from the tip of his antlers to his hoofs. The moss 

 is a vegetable substance, having an ochrous colour when first 

 dug ; but very speedily, on exposure to the air, it turns very 

 black. Nuts, seeds, branches of trees (chiefly hazel, and some 

 oak) are found. The water has washed two feet or more of 

 good soil on the top of the moss from the sides of the surrounding 

 slopes, so that the western half, the part they are now digging 

 at, was cultivated. The moss is very deep." 



