They were held under the auspices of the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association at Westmarch Stadium, the home of St Mirren FC in Paisley, on Saturday 27 June 1885.
The track was described as being in very good condition but the weather was extremely hot and fewer than one thousand spectators turned out to see David Duncan win the 1 mile for the third successive year.
He was President of SAAA at the time and remains the only man to have won a Scottish national athletics championship whilst President of the organising body.
Kenneth Whitton (St George's FC) set Scottish Native and All-comers records in winning the hammer.
In 1885 actual athletic clubs were first formed in Scotland, the first two being Clydesdale Harriers in the West, formed in May 1885, closely followed in September by Edinburgh Harriers in the East.