686 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
The account is incorrect in several particulars. Instead of there 
being only five or six cups, there are thirteen or fourteen. The 
four vertical and three transverse grooves are not mentioned. There 
is no reason to suppose that a circle of stones ever existed here. In 
fact the rapid slope of the ground, where the boulder stands, would 
have prevented such a circle being made. Megalithic circles are 
always on a flat piece of land. Sir James Simpson was never at 
Grlenballoch, as he told Mr Herdman himself shortly before his 
death. 
Whilst to Mr Herdman belongs the merit of discovering these 
markings, the still greater merit belongs to him of having saved 
this boulder from the fate which has befallen several others in his 
parish, and hundreds, or probably thousands, equally curious 
throughout Scotland. The boulder stands within the precincts of 
a field which bears good crops, and as it was a considerable obstruc¬ 
tion to farming operations, the tenant about six’years ago was 
preparing to break it up, and the more especially as he was then in 
want of stones for a new farm-house. His intentions having 
become known, the Rev. Mr Herdman would have applied to the 
proprietor himself had he been at home, to save the boulder. Rut 
he was abroad; and so the factor was appealed to, and fortunately 
with success. 
The tenant has several times since thrown out dark hints about 
the inconvenience to which he is exposed by the presence of this 
boulder in an arable field, and also by the occasional visits of the 
curious to examine it. He has recently spoken of the damage 
done to his “ neeps ” by Mr Herdman’s excavations ; and it was 
only after much persuasion that Mr Herdman obtained from him 
a promise in these words, “ Weel, I’ll lat the stane alane, if you 
dinna howh muckle rnair about it.” Notwithstanding this assur¬ 
ance, Mr Herdman thinks it might he as well that the Royal 
Society Committee should communicate with the proprietor, Col. 
Clark Rattray, and ask him to give strict orders for the preservation 
of the boulder. 
These remarks apply to the Grlenballoch stone only in its archa30- 
logical relations. But it is probably also interesting geologically. 
Mr Herdman states that he has not much knowledge of rocks, and 
no experience in geological researches. Nevertheless, the facts 
