HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIF. 



157 



western boundary of the valley. Between us and 

 this splendid outcrop of the Carboniferous limestone 

 stands Dinas Bran, a solitary outlier of Silurian 

 slates, almost conical in shape, which rises to the 

 height of 600 feet, and is crowned by an ancient 

 castle. For delightful rambles with vasculum or 

 hammer, or without, there are few places where 

 one can better spend a week, or, for the matter of 

 that, many an one, than Llangollen. 



Archaeologically, too, there is here much to be seen 



English structure, built in the year 1200, and held 

 by the Cistercian monks. The lancet-shaped windows 

 of the eastern end have a very telling effect, when 

 one views these ruins against the background of the 

 green hills. Not far away the archaeologist finds the 

 Pillar of Eliseg standing, a monument not so much 

 to be venerated for its antiquity as for its being 

 perhaps the last of its long race erected in the 

 British isles. Cromwell's soldiers would have proved 

 poor followers of the aesthetic school, for they mis - 



Fig. ^i.—Lithodcndron basaltiforine, a common Caib. 

 limestone coral. 



^^U>^ 



Fig. SS.— Transverse secuon of Fossil Coral {Lousdalia riigosa], 

 Carb. limestone. 



s&M. 



'm SF^ 



Fig. 89. — Transverse section of Fossil Corals 

 {Lithostrotion jiniceujn], Carb. limestone. 



Fig. 90. — Longitudinal section of Lithostrotion 



jzinceutn. 



Fig. 91. 



-Productus scahricitlus, Carb. 

 limestone. 



and heard of. We are on the border-land of two races 

 and two languages. The hills around are sprinkled 

 with tumuli, nearly covered up in the heather, 

 which eloquently tell of the bitter feuds of days 

 happily past, and of the fierce fights of old between 

 Saxon and Celt. Hereabouts, all the way up the 

 richly-wooded, close-shut-in, lovely valley of the 

 Dee to Corwen, the placed is steeped in traditions of 

 Owen Glendower and his fighting men. 



Val Crucis Abbeyis still a sight to be seen ; an Early 



took this Welsh monolith for a Popish Cross, and 

 " brake it down ! " It was set up again in 1779- 



I cannot stay, however, to recapitulate the his- 

 torical and archaeological interest which hangs round 

 the spot I selected for a brief and much-needed 

 summer holiday. I take it for granted that my 

 readers, like myself, are interested in the affairs 

 of nature rather than in those of men ; at any rate, 

 during their holidays. 



The botany of the place is not so interesting 



