1911-1912.] An Account of the Excursions (1912). 455 



way to the dell Pilularia glohulifera was found in great 

 abundance. The stone was also noted on which is carved 

 " M. S. Gul. Wallas, October v. mdcclxxxiy," which is trans- 

 lated to mean, " Sacred to the memory of William Wallas, 

 October 5, 1784." The tradition about this stone is that a 

 favourite horse which the Scottish hero was riding stumbled 

 and fell dead, and was buried at this spot. To commemorate 

 this ancient tradition the present stone was erected in 1784 

 over the grave of the hero's horse. A nest of the blackcap 

 {Sylvia atricapilla) was found in the dell and photographed 

 by one of the members. In a pond on Drumshoreland moor 

 Apkim inundatum was found growing profusely. 



On the following Saturday a joint excursion with the Dun- 

 fermline Naturalists' Society was held at Culross, under the 

 leadership of the Secretary. The party, which was numerous, 

 visited the old fish-pond, Abbey House, and Abbey, and in- 

 spected some interesting antiquities in the churchyard of the 

 West Kirk. A visit was also made to Dunimarle Castle, a 

 stronghold of the Macduffs and the scene of the murder of 

 Lady Macduff and her children, — an incident which forms a 

 prominent part in Shakespeare's tragedy. The castle contains 

 a museum with a collection of paintings, old china, and other 

 objects of vertu, and is open to the public. Among the 

 noteworthy plants collected were Smyrnium Olusatrum, Conium 

 maculatum, Oentranthus ruber, Sedum TelepMum, Anchusa 

 sempervirens, Rumex sanguineus, Solanum Dulcamara, and Cheli- 

 donium majus. 



On Saturday, June 8, a large party, under the leadership 

 of Mr T. A. D. Wood, visited Seton Castle and chapel. All 

 that now remains of the chapel is the choir or chancel, with 

 the north and south transepts, and an unfinished tower 

 rising from the intersection of the transepts. It is a fine 

 relic of the Gothic period, and is supposed to date back to at 

 least 1300. It is now used as the mausoleum of the Wemyss 

 family. A short distance to the west of the chapel stood at 

 one time one of the finest old palaces in Scotland. It was an 

 abode of luxury, much frequented by the nobility of the king- 

 dom, and was occasionally the residence of royalty. It stood 

 in the centre of a three-acre enclosure among stately old trees. 

 It had a triangular court in the centre and three extensive 



