or THE MEARNS, a maritime county of Scotland, bounded N. and N.W. by Aberdeen-shire, S.W. and S. by Forfarshire, and E. by the German Ocean. Its form is that of an isosceles triangle, with the apex pointing N.E.; its greatest length from the mouth of the N. Esk to that of the Dee is 31 miles, breadth from Dunnottar to Mount Battock, 22 miles; area, 243,200 acres. It may be viewed as consisting of five natural divisions—the Coast side, Garrock, the How (or Hollow) of the Mearns, the Grampians, and Deeside. The first of these is the most productive portion of the county; the land S. of Stonehaven renting at from L.2 to L.4 per acre. From the Esk to Bervie the coast is for the most part low. From Bervie to Stonehaven (about 12 miles) it presents an almost unbroken range of perpendicular rock, from 100 to 250 feet high; thence to Aberdeen it is interrupted by creeks and bays. In this district are the towns of Bervie and Stonehaven, and the small ports of St Cyrus, Johnshaven, Gourdon, Katterline, Cratoun, Skateraw, Portlethen, Findon (or Finnan, whence "finnan-haddies"), and Cove. The district of Garrock rises to an elevation of from 250 to 750 feet above the sea, and is naturally bleak and unproductive, but the industry of the inhabitants has done much to reclaim it from sterility. Planting on a more extensive scale is still greatly to be desired. The How o' the Mearns is a continuation of the valley of Strathmore, and takes its rise a few miles W. of Stonehaven, extending S.W. for 16 miles, with an average breadth of 6 miles. The lower portions of this fine valley were originally marshes; and ague was common among the inhabitants. It has now entirely disappeared; the marshes having been thoroughly drained, and now yielding good crops of corn. The How is watered by numerous streams; the largest are the Bervie, Luther, and Fearn,—the first specially noted as a troutting stream. The general aspect of this district is highly flourishing, but the absence of hedge-rows, and the gradual removal of plantations, never very numerous, are defects that need remedy. Rising from this valley, and running parallel with it, is a ridge of the Grampians, which intersects the county from E. to W. This sterile region is about 8 miles in breadth, and embraces the area of nearly 80,000 acres, almost entirely occupied as sheep-walks. The highest point is Mount Battock (3500 feet), the summit of which forms the point of contact of Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Kincardine. The road from the How, over the steep romantic Cairn o' Mount, leads through Glen Dye into Deeside. This district begins with the valley of the Feugh, extends for about 10 miles on both banks of the Dee, and from the point where that river begins to divide the county from Aberdeenshire, for about 13 miles on its right bank to the sea. The land of this tract is not in general of a strong quality, but in moist seasons produces good crops. It is here also to be lamented that the plantations which adorn the face of the country are rapidly disappearing.

Of the minerals in this county, the most useful is limestone, which used to be quarried near Laurencekirk. The prevailing rock in the N. of the county is granite, and on the coast gneiss. Porphyry, conglomerate, sandstone, whinstone, &c., occur in great variety. The climate has much improved within the last 40 years, principally owing, no doubt, to the great improvements in drainage; but the high bleak hills, which extend over so much of its surface, must always exercise a chilling influence on the soil. High winds are very prevalent, and do much injury to crops. The improvements in agriculture during the present century have been very great. Among the number of those specially entitled to record as improvers on a great scale, are the late Mr Barclay Allardyce of Ury, and Mr M'Tier of Durris. With these exceptions, and a few besides, most of the improvements throughout the county are due to the energy and skill of the tenantry. The county is well furnished with roads, and is traversed by the Scottish North-Eastern and the Aberdeen and Deeside railways. Its total acreage under tillage in 1856, was 100,889½; of which there were—in wheat, 6080; barley, 7079; oats, 28,165; potatoes, 2893½; turnips, 16,853½; grass and hay, 37,915½. The total value of agricultural produce in 1855 was estimated at L.898,588; in 1807 it was estimated at L.515,679. The number of occupiers in 1856 was 1392; of landowners, from 60 to 70, about half of whom have rentals varying from L.1000 to above L.8000. The number of resident proprietors is about 20. The valued rent of land in 1674 was L.6248, 9s.; in 1815, L.94,861; in 1856, L.158,789. The farms vary in size from 20 to 400 acres. The tendency to enlarging farms is making way, as in other parts of Scotland, to the extinction of an industrious and exemplary class of the population. Farmsteadings have been greatly improved, but the accommodation for farm-servants is still extremely defective. Improvement in the breeding of stock has not been much stimulated by any local associations for that purpose, the only agricultural society in the county being limited to the district of Fettercairn, where, however, it has been of considerable benefit. The total live-stock in 1856 was 61,399—estimated value, L.414,000. The number of horses was 4206; milch cows, 6568; total cattle, 26,449; sheep, 27,894. Fifty years ago, the paupers were 1 in 50 of the population, the average sum for their support being L.1, 16s.; in 1855 they were 1 in 26, costing each, on an average, L.4, 10s.

There are few manufactures in the county; that of woollens is carried on at Stonehaven on a small scale. There are flax spinning-mills at Bervie, distilleries at Glen Ury and Fettercairn, and breweries at Stonehaven, Johnshaven, and Laurencekirk. The salmon and white fisheries are carried on to some extent along the coast. The county town is Stonehaven, pleasantly situated on the sea-coast, near the mouth of the Carron, 16 miles S. of Aberdeen. It has a small harbour, but little trade. Pop. 3240. Bervie, a small place of 878 inhabitants, is the only royal burgh in the county. It received its charter from David II. Laurencekirk was long famous for the manufacture of wooden snuff-boxes, in which it competes with Mauchline and Cumnock. Of the old county town, Kincardine, not a vestige remains. The county returns one M.P. (constituency 920); and Bervie is a contributory burgh to Montrose. The population of Kincardineshire in 1851 was 34,743. The number of persons employed as servants and farm-workers in 1856 was about 6000; 287 lived in "bothies." are numerous ancient cairns, and traces of Roman camps in the county. Of old castles, the most remarkable is Dunnotar, near Stonehaven, the old seat of the Keiths, Earls Marshal. It stands on a high projecting rock, nearly surrounded by the waves, and was at one time a place of great strength. The Scottish Regalia were kept here in the time of the Commonwealth, and here, in the reign of James II., a large number of Nonconformist prisoners endured such atrocity of treatment as was hardly outmatched by the Black Hole of Calcutta. On the Hill of Garvock is pointed out the "Sheriff's Kettle," where Melville, sheriff of the Mearns, about 1420, was boiled in a cauldron by some of the neighbouring barons to whom he had become offensive. Of distinguished men born in Kincardineshire were John of Fordoun the historian, George Wishart, Robert Barclay the Quaker, Bishop Burnet, Dr John Arbuthnot, Dr James Beattie, Dr Thomas Reid, and Lord Monboddo.