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Fionn-uisg'), and Perth. Colonel Robertson, in his "Topography of Scotland," refers Gask to gasag, diminutive of gas, branch; but this hardly suits either phonetically or otherwise. The word gasg seems to have slipped out of use: it belongs only to Scotch Gaelic, and may be a Pictish word. The dictionaries render it by "tail," following Shaw, and mis-improving the matter by the additional synonym "appendage," which is not the meaning; for the idea is rather the posterior of an animal, such as that of the hind, which Duncan Ban refers to in this case as "white"-"gasganan geala," and which makes an excellent mark for the deer-stalker. The dictionaries give gasgan, a puppy; gasganach, petulant; and gasgara (gasgana ?), posteriors; all which Shaw first gives There is also the living word gasgay, a stride, which no dictionary gives. These derivations throw very little light on the root word gasg, which seems to signify a nook, gusset, or hollow. The Laggan gasgs are now "rich meadows, bay shaped," as a native well describes them. It was at Gaskbeg that the gifted Mrs Grant of Laggan lived, and here she sang of the beauties of the Bronnach stream--the Gaelic Bronach, the "pebbly" (?)-which flows through the farm.

Blargie, in 1603 Blairovey, in Bleau Blariki, and in present ✓ Gaelic Blàragaidh. The termination agaidh appears also in Gallovie, which, in 1497, is Galowye, and now Geal-agaidh, the white agaidh. The word appears as a prefix in Aviemore and Avielochan, both being agaidh in Gaelic. The old spelling of these words with a v, as against the present pronounciation with g, is very extraordinary. The meaning and etymology of agaidh are doubtful. Shaw gives aga as the "bottom of any depth," and

there is a Welsh word ag, a "cleft or opening." The word may

be Pictish.

Coull, in Gaelic Cùil, means the "nook, corner," which the place is.

Ballmishag means the town of the kid, mìseag or minnseag.

Crathie, in 1603 Crathe, in Blaeu Crachy, now in Gaelic Craichidh. The name appears in the Aberdeenshire parish of Crathie. The form Crathie possibly points to an older Gaelic Crathigh.

Garvabeg and Garvamore, the Garvey Beige and Garvey Moir of 1603. The word at present sounds as Garbhath, which is usually explained as garbh-àth, rough ford, a very suitable meaning and a possibly correct derivation.

Shirramore and Shirrabeg, the Waster Schyroche and Ester Schiroche of 1603. Sheiro-more, in 1773, is in Gaelic Siorrath Mor.

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With these names we must connect the adjoining glen name, Glenshirra, Gaelic Glenn Storo, a name which appears also in Argyleshire, near Inverary, as Glenshira, Glenshyro (1572), traversed by the Shira stream. The root word appears to be sìr or stor, long. Some suggest siaradh, squinting, obliqueness.

Aberarder, Blaeu's Abirairdour, Gaelic Obair ardur. There is an Aberarder (Aberardor in 1456, and Abirardour in 1602) in Strathnairn, and another in Deeside, and an Auchterarder in Strathearn. The Aber is the Pictish and Welsh prefix for "confluence," Gaelic inver. The ardour is etymologised in the Ordnance map as Ard-dhoire, high grove. The word may be from ard dobhar, high water, for the latter form generally appears in place names as dour.

Ardverikie has been explained correctly in the "Province of Moray," published in 1798, as "Ard Merigie, the height for rearing the standard." The Gaelic is Ard Mheirgidh, from meirge, a standard.

Gallovie. See under Blargie.

Muccoul is from Muc-cùil, Pigs' nook.

Achduchil means the field of the black wood.
Dalchully, Gaelic Dail-chuilidh.

The word cuilidh signifies a press or hollow. It means the "dale of the hollow or recess." Tynrich is for Tigh-an-Fhraoich, house of the heath.

Catlodge, in 1603 Cattelleitt, and in 1776 Catleak, is in present Gaelic Caitleag, the Cat's Hollow. The form cait is unusual; we should, by analogy with Muc-cùil and other names where an animal's name comes first in a possessive way, expect Catlaig rather than Caitleag.

Breakachy, Brackachye (1603), is usually explained as Breac achaidh, speckled field; but the latter part in achaidh is as likely to be a matter of affixes, viz., ach-aigh. We shall now cross the hills into Glentruim and up Loch Ericht side. There at Loch Ericht Lodge we have

Dail-an-Longairt, in 1773 Rea Delenlongart, and on the other side of the ridge is Coire an-Longairt (Cory Longart 1773), while there is an Eilean Longart above Garvamore bridge and "Sheals of Badenlongart" in Gaick above the confluence of Bran, according to the 1773 map. Longart itself means a shealing, the older form being longphort, a harbour or encampment.

Dalhinnie, in Gaelic Dail-chuinnidh, is usually explained as Dail-choinnimh, Meeting's Dell; but the phonetics forbid the derivation. Professor Mackinnon has suggested the alternative of

the "narrow dail." Dalwhinnie was a famous station in the old coaching days, and the following verse shows how progress northwards might be made ::

Brakbhaist am Baile-chloichridh

Lunch an Dail-na-ceardaich

Dinneir an Dail-chuinnidh

'S a' bhanais ann an Ràt.

Presmuckerach, not the Ordnance Presmocachie, is in 1603/ Presmukra, that is Preas-Mucraigh, bush of piggery or pigs.

Dalannach, which the Ordnance map etymologises into Dail gleannach or Glen-dale, was in 1603 Dallandache, and is now Dail-annach. The old form points to the word lann or land, an enclosure or glade. The Irish Annagh, for Eanach, a marsh, will scarcely do, as the name appears in Loch Ennich in its proper Gaelic phonetics.

Crubinmore, Crobine (1603), now Crùbinn. The names Crubeen, Cruboge, Slievecroob, &c., appear in Ireland, and are referred by Dr Joyce to crùb (a paw, hoof), crúibin (a trotter, little hoof). The Gaelic crùbach (lame), and crùban (a crouching), are further forms of the root word, a locative case from the latter form being possibly our Crubin, referring to the two "much back-bent hills there."

Etteridge, Ettras (1603), Etrish (1776), is in Gaelic Eatrais. The name of Phoineas cannot be disconnected with Etteridge, for the former in Gaelic is Fothrais or Fotharais, with the Pictish prefix fother, while Etteridge has the proposition eadar (between) / as its first part. The terminal part ais, is common in place names, such as Dallas, Duffus, and Forres, the latter being practically our Phoness; and this Lachlan Shaw explains as being uis (water). It seems to be first for an older asti, this for osti, and this again for Celtic vostis, a town or baile. The word fois (rest) is from this root. Nessintullich, Nesintuliche (1603), now Niosantulaich, is probably for Neasan-tulaich, the place beside the hillock, neasan, the next place, which is an Irish word, from neasa (nearer).

How the

Phoines, Foynes (1603), has already been discussed. n comes to stand in the English for Gaelic r is very puzzling. Invernahavon, Invernavine (1603), means the confluence of the river, that is, of the Truim with Spey.

Ralia, Gaelic Rath-liath, means the grey rath or dwellingplace.

Nuide, Nuid (1603), Noid (1699), now Noid. The derivation suggested for the name is nuadh-id, a topographic noun from the adjective nuadh or nodha, new; of old, "Noid of Ralia."

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Knappach, in Gaelic A' Chnapaich, the hilly or knobby land. It is a common place-name, especially in Ireland, appearing there as Knappagh and Nappagh.

Ruthven, which is also the first form the name appears in in 1370, when the "Wolf" took possession of the lordship of Badenoch. It was here he had his castle. In 1380 the name is Rothven and Ruthan. The name is common all over Pictland, mostly in the form Ruthven, but also at various times and places spelt Ruthfen, Ruwen, Ruven, Riv(v)en, &c. The modern Gaelic is Ruadhinn, which simply means the "red place," from ruadhan, anything red. The v of the English form lacks historic explanation. Brae-ruthven gives the phonetically interesting Gaelic Bré

ruadhnach.

Gordon Hall (so in 1773 also) is in Gaelic Lag-an-Notair, the Notary's Hollow, for it is a hollow. The name and its proximity to Ruthven Castle mutually explain one another: Gordon Hall was doubtless the seat of the Gordon lords of Badenoch, when the castle of Ruthven was changed to barrack purposes. Here the rents used to be "lifted" for the Gordon estates.

Killiehuntly, Keillehuntlye (1603), Blaeu's Kyllehunteme, in present Gaelic Coille-Chuntainn, the wood of Contin. Huntly is in Gaelic Hundaidh, and M'Firbis, in the 16th century, has Hundon; hence arises the English form. The popular mind still connects it with the Huntlies. Contin is a parish in Ross-shire, and there was a Contuinn in Ireland, on the borders of Meath and Cavan, which is mentioned in connection with Fionn's youthful exploits. It has been explained as the meeting of the waters, con(with) and tuinn (waves), but the matter is doubtful.

Inveruglas, Inneruglas (1603), in Gaelic Inbhir-ùlais, the inver of Ulas, although no such stream exists now, receives its explanation from the old Retours, for in 1691 we have mention of Inveruglash and its mill-town on the water of Duglass, which means the stream passing the present Milton. Hence it means the inver of the Duglass or dark stream, dubh (black), and glais (stream).

Soillierie, in Gaelic Soileiridh, means the "bright conspicuous place," on the rising beyond the Insh village.

Lynchlaggan stands for the Gaelic Loinn-Chlaiginn, the Glade of the Skull, possibly referring to the knoll above it rather than to an actual skull there found; the name is applied in Ireland to such skull-like hills.

Am Beithe means the Birch.

Farletter is the old name for Balnacraig and Lynchlaggan, and it appears in 1603 as Ferlatt and Falatrie (1691). It took its

name from the hill above, now called Craig Farleitir. The word Farleitir contains leitir, a slope or hillside, and possibly the preposition for (over), though we must remember the Fodderletter of Strathavon with its Pictish Fotter, or Fetter, or Fother (?).

Forr is situated on a knolly ridge overlooking Loch Insh, and evidently contains the preposition for (over), as in orra for forra, ↓ on them. The last or ra is more doubtful. Farr, in Strathdearn, is to be compared with it.

Dalnavert, in 1338 and 1440 Dalnafert, in 1603 Dallavertt, now in Gaelic Dail-a'-bheirt, which is for Dail-an-bheart, the dale of the grave or trench, from feart, a grave, which gives many place names in Ireland, such as Clonfert, Moyarty, &c.

Cromaran is possibly for Crom-raon, the crooked field.
Balnain is for Beal an-àthain, the ford mouth.

Ballintian, the town of the fairy knoll, was called of old Countelawe (1603) and Cuntelait (1691), remembered still vaguely as the name of the stretch up the river from Ballintian, and caplained as Cunntadh-laid, the counting (place) of the loads! Perhaps, like Contin, it is for Com-tuil-aid, the meeting of the waters, that is, of Feshie and Fernsdale, which takes place here. Balanscrittan, the town of the sgrìodan or running gravel. Bulroy, for Bhuaill-ruaidh, the red fold. Tolvah, the hole of drowning.

Achlean, for Achadh-leathainn, is broad field. Beside it is

Achlum, for Achadh-lium, the field of the leap.

Ruigh-aiteachain may possibly be a corruption for Ruigh Aitneachain, the Stretch of the Junipers.

Ruigh-ionntaig, the Reach of the Fair-stream.

In the Dulnan valley is Caggan, the Gaelic of which is An Caiginn, and there is " a stony hill face" in Glen-Feshie of like

name.

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19th MARCH, 1890.

On this evening, Mr William Mackay, solicitor, Inverness, read a paper before the Society, entitled "How the Macleods lost Assynt." Mr Mackay's paper was as follows:

:

HOW THE MACLEODS LOST ASSYNT.

The wild district of Assynt, in the west of Sutherlandshire, was possessed by a branch of the great family of Macleod from the beginning of the fourteenth century, when Torquil Macleod of the

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