1908-1909.] Microfungi at Traquair and Roslin. 1 49 



The tuechitis ^ cryit theuis nek quhen the piettis ^ clattrit. 

 The garruliiig of the stirlene ^ gart the sparrow cheip, 

 The lynt-quhit * sang counterpoint when the ouzil zelpit,^ 

 The grene serene ^ sang sueit quhen the gold spynk ^ chantit, 

 The rede schank ^ cried my fut, my fut, and the oxee ^ cryit tueit, 

 The herons gaif ane vyld skrech as the kyil had bene in fyir, 

 Quhilk gart the quhapis for fleyitness flee far fra hame." ^^ 



" To fire the kiln " was an old Scottish phrase to set the 

 hill on fire, as denoting any great tumult or commotion. To 

 set the heather on fire is a somewhat modern form of the 

 ancient phrase. 



This last list seems to me to conclusively settle the ques- 

 tion as to whether or not the cranes once visited Scotland. 

 When the ravens " roupit " the cranes " croped," and now 

 when the herons " skraighed " the curlews take a distant flight. 

 The alarm calls of the two birds are different, and therefore 

 it is clear the crane is not to be identified with the heron. 

 Long ago it is well known that they visited the north of 

 England. Evidently they had crossed the border, and been 

 fairly abundant in Scotland also. 



IX.— MICROFUNGI OBSERVED AT TRAQUAIR 

 AND ROSLIN 



By Mr D. A. BOYD, Corresponding Member. 

 (Read April 28, 1909.) 



At the Society's excursions to Traquair on October 3 and Eoslin 

 on October 10, 1908, some attention was devoted to the 

 mycology of these districts. Numerous specimens of Micro- 

 fungi were collected, and a record kept of all the species 



^ Lapwings. 2 Magpies. ^ Starling. ^ Linnet. 



^ The grouping of the linnets with the ouzel points to the ring-ouzel rather 

 than the water- ouzel. Both are birds of the moors and the mountains. 



^ Greenfinch. ^ Goldfinch. ^ Redshank. " Parus major, or large tit. 



^° The herons gave one wild screech, as the kiln had been on fire, which made 

 the curlews from fright flee far from their haunts. 



VOL. VL L 



