Hello Ian,             As you will be aware there period you are searching in Scotland is prior to statutory registration which means that records of christenings which have survived only occurred in circumstances where a) the child was christened AND b) the record survived. In England some of my forebears were christened in a job lot and I assumed this occurred when a new and enthusiastic vicar coaxed the family into christening all the children born in the last few years presumably when his predecessor had run out of steam, given up on the family or otherwise neglect to collect them into the fold.  Equally I can only assume some families evaded this process or could not afford it.         So records for the full number of children born to Matthew and Marion may not exist anywhere. There is also the possibility that children travelling to Hobart with either Matthew or Marion could be children born without the marriage- if you have no date of birth they may have a diiferent other parent.           The scottish naming pattern may help you. The most likely names of the first sic xhildren born to a couple are. the paternal grandfathers name (perhaps Peter or John from your list), the maternal garndfather (your information gives that as James) and the father;s name (Matthew).  The girls would be maternal grandmother, paternal grandmother and mother. You have given us no girls names, so if you know the mothers of Matthew and Marion you have two more nmaes to hunt for.        I note a Matthew Bailey Muir is found on google as the parent of Thomas Muir. New Zealand photographer - is this Matthew b1799, his son Matthew or just a coincidence?   Good luck   Moira   ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to MIDLOTHIAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message