Welsh Journals

Oct. 10, 1888. BYE-GONES. 243 project fell through. The last person who went through the ceremony with a cockerel was one Evan Edwards, son of the sexton of the parish, and the date was about seventy-five years ago. Berthyrhiniog Well is on the oppo¬ site side of the Alun, and its crystalline water still flows, possessing, according to some of the inhabitants, healing qualities in severe cases of rheumatism, sprains, gout, &c. Llywakch Hen. Llwyn Dedwydd. OSS, O SSM ENT.—MONTGOMERYSHIRE PHRASES (July 25, August 8,15, 1888).—Does " R.T." know that in Montgomeryshire one often hears the ex¬ pression "I di' oss about edge o' night?" To oss means to start, and the " edge o' night" I consider a very pretty idiom full of poetry. But the good folks can also be unpoetical, for sometimes when you go out to tea your good hostess declares she is thankful you do not have to eat for her.as she would "safe to be clemmed;" she begs of you to " ketch the pieces ;" and when you really can eat no more she horrifies you by adding " Name o' the living you munna throw up yet." Enid. CURRENT NOTES. The Rev W, Anwyl Robert?, rector of Llanddyfnan- cum-Llanfaimiathafarn-eithaf, near Llangefni, died a few days ago. The Rev. Frank Davies, B.A., curate of Barmouth, has been preferred to the Rectory of Llanfachreth, Dolgelley, vacant by the preferment of the Rev. R. Roberts to the living of Llanfechell, Anglesey. IN THE FIELDS AND LANES. A White Hedgehog.—O. LI. J. Evans, Broom Hall, Pwllheli, writing in The Field, says :— Kef erring to the account of a white hedgehog captured near Slough, as reported in your last number, I may state that whilst out shooting on Sept. 26, in company with my friend Captain Jones Williams, we found several hedgehogs in a field about a mile and a half from here, one of which was of a milk-white colour. The keeper said one had been caught in a rabbit trap a short time back, but I did not know of it before. OSWESTRY INSTITUTE FIELD CLUB. On Thursday, Sept. 27, the members had an excursion to Pant Glas and neighbourhood. From Pant Glas the road to Selattyn was taken as far as the Crown House, and thence to Carreg-y-Big, and home over Cyrn-y-Bwcb, the walk proving quite long enough, as darkness prevailed long before reaching home. The time of flowers—like the Thursday half-holidays—seemed coming to an end, &s only a few late stragglers were found, but there was plenty of opportunity of studying the seeds and berries of many in¬ teresting plants—an opportunity which was taken advan¬ tage of in a very practical way by some of the younger members among the blackberries and nuts. The rare Meconopsis Cambrica was found still in flower. The last excursion for the season was on Saturday, September 29th, to Frankton by brake, and proved a good finale to what may well be considered a suc¬ cessful season. On arriving at Frankton Vicarage the party were met by the Rev. O. M. Feilden, who kindly acted as conductor, and taken round the Vicarage garden and grounds, where several of our rarer wild flowers, often "born to blush unseen" are rescued from " wasting their sweetness on the desert air," among them being geranium pbseum, G. sylvaticum, G. pratense, and Chrysanthemum segetum. The party were then taken for a pleasant ramble through lane, meadow, and wood, by their genial conductor, who was full of information on the way, and in the wood they were gratified by being shown a fine lot of the Yellow Balsam (Impatiens Noli-me-tangere), which is rare in this district, and quite new to the whole of the party. On returning to the Vicarage, the members were entertained at tea, and before leaving the thanks of the Club were expressed to Mr Feilden for his kindness that day, for the assistance he had afforded the Club on a pre¬ vious occasion, and his kind promise of future aid. The party arrived at Oswestry about 7-30, and parted with re¬ gret that the pleasant outings had come to an end for the present season. It may be worth mentioning that although we have had what may be called a wetsummcr.the members of the Club have only had to forego one excursion during the season on account of the weather, when a visit to Welshampton was postponed because of the previous day's rain, but, the weather proving fine in Oswestry in the afternoon, an eicursion in the neighbourhood was impro¬ vised, and passed off without a shower. THE INTERNATIONAL GEOLOGICAL CONGRESS. On Tuesday, September 25, the foreign members of this Association entered upon their visit to North Wales, arriving at Bangor from Chester at 1L 45 a.m. The dis¬ tinguished savants, accompanied by about twenty geolo¬ gists from Chester, were met at the railway station by Dr. Dobbie (Professor of Geology at the University College of North Wales) and Mr R. Grierson (secretary of the Menai Society of Natural Science and Literature), after which they proceeded to the George Hotel, Bangor Ferry, their headquarters. Luncheon over, the company drove to Bangor, where they examined the railway cutting and other objects of geological interest in and around the city. They then proceeded to the Penrhyn Slate Quarries, where they were met by Lord Penrhyn, Lord Mostyn, and a large party from Penrhyn Castle. Here they were also joined by about twenty members of the Menai Society, including Professors Gray, Arnold, and Phillips. The party was then conducted over the quarry by the noble owner and Mr T. Pritchard, manager. Specimens of geological value, recently found in quarry operations, were then inspected, after which Dr. Hicks delivered an address upon the interesting things they had seen in the quany, and thanked Lord Penrhyn for his courtesy and kindness in showing them over the largest slate quarry in the world.—Dr. Charles Barrois seconded the vote. — Lord Penrhyn, in reply, expressed the pleasure it had given him to meet such a distinguished party of geologists. The new tile works recently added to the quarry were next inspected. The members of the Congress on theWednesday inspected the Menai Suspension and Tubular Bridges, and proceeded by rail to Bodorgan, and thence to Holyhead, where visits were paid to the mountain which furnished the stone for the breakwater, and also to the South Stack Lighthouse. In the evening, Lord and Lady Penrhyn gave an "At Home" at the Castle to the members of the Congress, numbering about 70, the members of the Menai Society of Natural Science and Literature, the Corporation, the staff of the University College of North Wales, and others. The company, which was a very numerous one, was re¬ ceived by Lord and Lady Penrhyn and Miss Pennant. Some members of the Congress left Bangor on the Fri¬ day for Dolgelley and Barmouth for an inspection of the Merionethshire goldfields; others visited Shropshire Church Stretton being the base of operation