Vol 5 - Dumfriesshire & Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian ...

——44 Tratisactions.The next interesting deviation of type is represented on a smallpiece of rock close to the road and a few yards west of LowMilton Cottage. It is shown on PL VII., Fig. 2. The upperportion of this rock having been well under the turf, this cuttingof a single cup and ring ismore than usually deep and distinct.They have evidently, when fresh cut, been a good inch deep.The serpentine groove which comes out of the ring is also at itsupper end very clear, but, as it bends down to the ring below andenters its cup, it becomes almost hypothetical. At six inches tothe left of this lower cup is a tliird cup, also obscure. I do notfind any trace of the prolongation of the groove towards thisthird cup.Near the farm of Milton, and not far from the remains of aFort, there are innumerable surfaces oftlie whinstone exposedsome nearly flat. On the flattest of them all I found the designshown in PL VII., Fig. 1. It is remarkable for the perfectprecision of its circles, the straightness with which its cups lie ina line, and the curiously short lip of the largest ring. They arecarved in almost, if not quite, a due N. and S. line. There issomething, not only in these details, but in the size, shape, andappearance of the surface of this rock, not a little suggestive ofthe lid of a kist-vaen. The following are the dimensions :Greatest length of stone