PROCEEDINGS—PERTHSHIRE SOCIETY OF NATURAL SCIENCE. 
V 
their verdure till quite the middle of October, but when the change 
did take place the colours were exceptionally brilliant and varied. 
The reason of this probably was the excessive amount of sap which 
was allowed to rise in the trees owing to the favourable conditions 
in the early part of the season. The effects of the season on animal 
life are not, so far as I am aware, quite so apparent as those on 
plant life, though, doubtless, they must have been considerable. 
Insects, I believe, were hardly so abundant as usual, owing, probably, 
to the absence of any great heat during the summer months. 
I now proceed to give a brief account of the 
SUMMER EXCURSIONS OF 1898, 
with the assistance of the reports furnished by the various leaders. 
From what I have said regarding the seasonal conditions, it will 
easily be understood that the weather was such as to render our out¬ 
door work very enjoyable, and, at the same time, the conditions, 
particularly in the early summer, were exceptionally favourable for 
botanical research. 
1. May 30 (Queen’s Birthday), to Taymouth Castle. This excur¬ 
sion was arranged jointly with the Perth Architectural Association, 
but unfortunately the members of the latter were not able to be 
present. This was a matter for regret, as special facilities were given 
to us of viewing the architecture and decoration both of Taymouth 
Castle and of Castle Menzies. Colonel Campbell, who was the 
leader for the day, reports as follows:—“Through the courtesy of 
the Highland Railway Company, a comfortable saloon carriage 
was provided, which conveyed the party, numbering twenty mem¬ 
bers, to Aberfeldy, where a brake was in waiting to convey them 
to Taymouth. A halt was called on the way to examine the 
Druidical Circle on the left-hand side of the road, and there was 
much speculation amongst the archaeological members as to its 
origin, and the purpose to which it was put. They then drove 
on to Taymouth, and, through the kindness of the Marquis of 
Breadalbane, were shown over the Castle by Mr. Dunn, the factor, 
and the housekeeper,—the hall, dining-room, and drawing-room being 
specially admired. After taking photographs of the Castle and its 
surroundings, from various points of view, the party walked through 
the beautiful grounds to Kenmore Gate, and visited the gardens, which 
were, as they always are, in perfect order. The carriage overtook 
them here, and they started on their homeward journey, driving along 
the base of Drummond Hill, where numerous vestiges of the disas¬ 
trous gale of 1894 were still apparent. The route lay over the new 
bridge across the Lyon, and thence to Castle Menzies—Sir Robert 
Menzies having kindly invited the members to visit the ancestral 
house. The party went over the fine'old house, admired the syca¬ 
more and other magnificent trees in the park, and then drove on to 
Aberfeldy, returning to Perth in the same luxurious saloon which had 
brought them north. The Excursion altogether was a thoroughly 
enjoyable one, the weather being all that could be desired, and the 
