PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. IX 
special features. It has been greatly disfigured by the rebuilding 
and heightening of the walls of the aisles, and by the putting on of 
a modern roof, which covers up the old clerestory windows, although 
these can still be seen from the inside. A church seems to have 
existed here since the time of David I., but Messrs. M‘Gibbon and 
Ross are of opinion that the present building, with its tower and 
spire, belongs to the early part of the sixteenth century, and is a fine 
example of that period. From its pulpit Knox thundered forth one 
of those sermons against the idolatry of the Romish Church, which 
had already in Perth and St. Andrews roused the people to the 
destruction of images, altars, and in many instances to the pulling 
down of the buildings which contained them. Sharp also was 
minister of Crail before he was raised to the See of St. Andrews. 
Mr. Reid also pointed out some of the more interesting tombstones 
of the old churchyard, the two which attracted most attention being 
those of Bruce of Sunburgh and James Lumsden of Airdrie. The 
party then drove out to Balcomie Castle. Of this the chief portions 
which remain are the keep and the entrance gateway. Dr. Urquhart 
called special attention to the fine carved work above the latter. It 
consists of three escutcheons, two of them representing the arms of 
James Learmonth of Balcomie, with the motto of the family, 1 sans 
feintisej and the other the arms and initials of Elizabeth My reton of 
Randerston, the wife of James Learmonth of Balcomie, with the motto 
of her family, ‘ Advysedlie.’ On the frieze along the top is the in¬ 
scription, ‘ Except the Lord bild the house, they labour in vaine that 
bild it.’ In one corner is a dial-stone, a frequent feature of the 
building of the period. The date inscribed on the work is 1660. 
Returning to Crail, the party walked through the town as far as the 
harbour and then drove to Anstruther. The day was bright and 
warm, and on the way a fine view was obtained of the Firth. In the 
foreground the Isle of May and the Bass stood out clearly, while 
behind, the long stretch of coast from Berwick Law to St. Abb’s Head 
was plainly though more dimly visible. The fields on each side of the 
road were waving with fine crops fast ripening for the harvest, and it 
was easy to see that here a fertile soil and skilful cultivation were both 
conjoined. Passing through Anstruther, Easter and Wester, they 
proceeded to the ancient borough of Pittenweem, graphically, if not 
very accurately, described in the old election ballad—• 
In Scotland stands an ancient brugh, wi’ some twal hunder people, 
A lang and narrow stripe o’ street, and ae high shouldered steeple; 
Ilk grocer i’ the brugh is a Bailie, or has been, 
But the Provost was perpetual, and drove the haill machine. 
Here a short halt was made to inspect the few fragments that remain 
of the old monastery. The church also, with its high shouldered 
steeple, was noticed, the latter still presenting much the same appear¬ 
ance as when it was erected in 1588. - Resuming their journey, they 
passed on through the ‘ lang and narrow stripe o’ street,’ and then 
went on to Kelly Castle. Here they were received by Mr. Lorimer, 
who most kindly conducted them through the building. The oldest 
part is the great square turret ted keep at the north-west corner. ThE, 
