KINCAR'DINESHIRE, or TILE MEARNS, a maritime co. of Scotland, with Aberdeen shire and the Dee on the n., Forfarshire and the North Esk on the s. and w., and the North sea on the east. The rocks are granite, gneiss, sandstone, conglomerate, mica slate, clay-slate, limestone, and trap. Area, 248,284 acres, of which 120,050 are in cul tivation and 23,153 acres in wood. The county may be divided into five sections—viz., the coast, Garvock, the " How o' the Mearns," the Grampians, and Deeside. The coast land and much of the " How" is of superior quality, and rents from £2 to £3 10s. an acre. The "How" forms part of the valley of Strathmore (q.v.). The Grampians, running across the county from c. to w., parallel to the Dee, with an average breadth of from 7 to 8 m., cover about 80,000 aeres. One of the peaks, Mt. Battoelt, is 2,555 ft. high. The Deeside portion of the county is a comparatively narrow strip of light sharp soil. The rainfall is from 23 to 27 in. ; in 1872 it was 50 per cent above the average. The produce of the county and the condition of the inhabitants have improved vastly since the middle of the 18th c., when there was little to be seen but poor huts and
starved cattle, and when the value of the largest ox was not more than 20s. In 1876 Kincardineshire had 424 acres wheat, 12,840 acres barley and here, 30,975 acres oats, acres rye, 785 acres beans. 142 acres peas, 2,251 acres potatoes,.19,739 acres turnips. Of live-stock there were 4,748 horses, 28,504 cattle, 32,176 sheep, and 2,523 swine. There are few manufactures in the county. The principal towns and villages are Stonehaven (q.v.), the county town; Bervie, a royal burgh; Lawrencekirk, a burgh of barony; and Johnshaveu. In the beginning of the 19th c., about 1 in 50 of the population was on the poor-roll, the average expenditure for each being £1 16k. In 1872. 17 parishes of the 19 in Kincardineshire were assessed for the poor, and had 1530 paupers, £8,545. Of the objects of antiquarian interest, the most. notelis Dunnottar castle,(q.v.). Kincardineshire was the birthplace of George Wishart, RobertBarelay, bishop Burnett,.
?Dr. J. Beattie, and Dr. Thomas Reid. Pop. '71, 34,630. Valued rent, 1876-77, _263,509.