Verzamelbeperkingen leidden tot de vondst van 'nieuwe' silurische agnaten en ander belangrijk materiaal

After the pillage of Birk Knowes Site of Special Scientific Interest, Scottish Natural Heritage and Bidwells, the property agents, decided to close this locality indefinitely. Bona fide workers are also not allowed to collect from this key site. A further result of the tragic events at Birk Knowes are restrictive actions towards other Silurian SSSI designated fishbeds. However, the writers managed to find fishbeds which are situated outside the scope of S.N.H. Naked agnathans which are new to science were revealed and also other significant material. Many thanks to Jim McColm, estate-manager at Muirkirk, who created the situation that the writers could gather fossils to their heart's content.