Several customs have been observed in various portions of the United Kingdom at Lammas. A very curious custom was practised in Scotland until about the middle of last century. This appears to be a relic of the ancient pagan festival of the _Gule_ of August, and was practised in some parts of the Lothians. We are informed that near the beginning of summer the herdsmen within a certain district associated themselves into bands, which in some instances numbered one hundred members, and occasionally more. It was agreed by each of these communities to build a tower (generally of sods) in some conspicuous place near the centre of their respective districts, to serve as their place of rendezvous on Lammas Day. The base of the erection was usually about four feet square. The tower, seven or eight feet high, was made to slope up to a point, above which floated the colours of the party who had erected it. From the commencement of its being built, the tower became an object of care to the whole community, for it was deemed a disgrace to suffer it to be defaced. Any attempt made to demolish it, either by fraud or force, was resolutely resisted. Each party endeavoured to circumvent the other, and laid plans to steal out unperceived in the night-time and to level the tower to the ground. A successful exploit brought great honour to the undertakers of the expedition. Although the tower was easily rebuilt, yet the news was quickly spread through the whole district by the successful adventurers, who filled it with shouts of joy and exultation, while their unfortunate neighbours were covered with shame. To ward off this disgrace, guard was kept at night at each tower, which was made stronger and stronger as the building advanced. Numerous petty skirmishes ensued; but the assailants seldom made an attack in force, preferring rather to succeed by surprise. As soon, therefore, as they saw they were discovered, they made off as best they could. Dr James Ferguson—to whom we are indebted for the facts concerning the Lothian Lammas tower builders—states that in order to give the alarm on these and other occasions, every person was armed with a ‘tooting-horn,’ that is, a horn perforated in the small end, through which wind can be forcibly blown from the mouth so as to occasion a loud noise. As every one wished to acquire dexterity in the use of this instrument, the herdsmen practised upon it during the summer while tending their flocks or herds. Towards Lammas, they were incessantly employed answering to and vieing with each other, so that the whole country rang continually with the sounds.