a shire of Scotland, comprehending part of Buchan, with the districts of Strathdevron, Boyne, Enzie, Strathaven, and Balvenie, extends 52 miles in length, with a breadth varying from 8 to 25, and has an area of 622 square miles. On the south and east it is bounded by Aberdeenshire; on the north it is watered by the German ocean; on the west it is bounded by the county of Elgin; and on the south-west, it borders on Inverness-shire. The face of the country is agreeably diversified with hill and dale, not without woods, well watered with rivers, and exhibiting many seats and plantations. The air is pure and keen, the climate healthy, and the soil fertile, producing plentiful crops of corn. The district of Buchan, extending northwards from the river Ugie to the sea, and westward as far as Devron, comprehending a tract of 20 miles in length and nine in breadth, is more free from hills and mountains than any other district of the same extent in the kingdom of Scotland. It is inhabited chiefly by Lowlanders, and gives the title of earl to the family of Erskine; of which family, however, Erskine of Mar is the chief. The county of Banff abounds with the necessaries and comforts of life. The pasture-grounds yield sheep, cattle, and horses; the arable lands produce plenty of corn; while the rivers and sea supply great quantities of fish. Various minerals have been found in different parts of the shire; and a piece of amber, as large as a horse, was once cast ashore on the beach. In the mountainous district of Balvenie on the western side of the shire, watered by the Spey, there is a noted rock, which produces homes and whetstones sufficient to supply the whole island. Here are also veins of alum stone, and springs of alum water. Strathallan, another district to the north-east of Balvenie, abounds with such plenty of limestone, that the inhabitants use it as common stone in building their houses; and moreover burn a great quantity of it into lime, which they sell to good advantage in the village of Keith, on the river Devron. Along this whole coast, there are ancient Danish monuments, such as cairns, tumuli, and huge stones standing erect. In Strathaven, a hilly country, lying along the limpid river Aven, which falls into the Spey, we meet with Gordon castle, belonging to the duke of Gordon, the most princely edifice in the north of Scotland, environed with fine gardens and parks well stored with fallow deer. The valued rent is 79,200l. Scots; and in 1811 the real gross rent of lands was 79,396l. 3s. 4d. ascertained by the property-tax returns.

The following is the population of the different parishes of this county at different periods:

| Parishes | Population in 1755 | Population in 1790—93 | |----------|------------------|---------------------| | Aberlour | 1010 | 920 | | Alva | 1161 | 1070 | | Banff | 3000 | 3510 | | Bellie | 1730 | 1919 | | Boharm | 835 | 1294 | | Botriphnie | 953 | 630 | | Boyndie | 994 | 1260 | | Cullen | 900 | 1214 | | Deskford | 940 | 752 | | Fordyce | 3212 | 3425 |

Population in 1811, 36,668. See BANFFSHIRE, SUPPLEMENT.

the capital of the shire of that name in Scotland, is pleasantly situated on the side of a hill, at the mouth of the river Devron. It has several streets, of which that with the town-house in it, adorned with a new spire, is very handsome. This place was erected into a borough by virtue of a charter from Robert II. dated October 7, 1372, endowing it with the same privileges, and putting it on the same footing, with the burgh of Aberdeen; but tradition says it was founded in the reign of Malcolm Canmore. The number of inhabitants in 1811 was 2860. The harbour is very bad, as the entrance of the mouth of the Devron is very uncertain, being often stopped by the shifting of the sands, which are continually changing in great storms; the pier is therefore placed on the outside. Much salmon is exported from hence. About Troophead some kelp is made; and the adventurers pay the lord of the manor 50l. per annum for the liberty of collecting the materials. Near the town is a most magnificent seat lately built by the earl of Fife. It lies in a beautiful plain washed by the Devron, the lofty banks of which, clothed with wood on the opposite side, afford a delightful contrast to the soft vale beneath. W. Long. 2. 5. N. Lat. 57° 40'.