170 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



and the Conway seems to suffer annual en- 

 croachments from the waters on both sides; and, 

 at some period not distant, may, Hke the old 

 northern part of the parish, yield to the domi- 

 nion of the ocean; when the greater Orme*s-Head 

 may become an island. The greatest extent of 

 the parish is not more than three miles ; its least, 

 one ; the soil is chiefly formed of sand or crum- 

 bled limestone and decayed vegetable matter. 



The village of Llandudno, situated on the 

 larger rock (which, as I have been told, bears no 

 small resemblance to the fortress of Gibraltar,) 

 contains a school and dissenting chapel, together 

 with 200 inhabitants, whose subsistence is derived 

 entirely from the rich copper mines near the vil- 

 lage. The church stands about a mile from the 

 village, on the brink of a precipice, overlooking 

 the sea, although it is said to have been built 

 originally in the middle of the parish. 



From want of a resident clergyman, (although 

 the living is understood to be valuable,) much 

 ignorance and immorality prevails, and more 

 than the usual share of selfishness, too prevalent 

 among the lower orders in North Wales. The 

 natives seem destitute of the information and ha- 

 bits of inquiry which are generally met with 

 among artisans in large towns, without having 



