220 The Irish Nafuralisf. September, 



One elf-doctor has four fliut arrow-heads, which were found near a 

 fort, and are the "identical arrows" discharged by the "gentry" to 

 drive off from the sacred precincts too meddlesome milch cows. 



The i3-penn)' piece must be of silver, and must have a cross on it. 

 That used on one occasion was a silver piece of Charles II. 



The elf-doctor now proceeds to examine the cow, and if he finds that 

 the hair stands erect on the animal's back, that the ears are lifeless and 

 hanging, or the tail when twisted fails to right itself, there is a strong 

 probability that the animal has been " struck." This is further confirmed 

 if the actual dent or wound of the arrow-head can be found. 



To further ascertain if the beast is " struck," she must be measured 

 from the base of the horns to the last joint of the tail, the measure in 

 use being the forearm — the span from the elbow-joint to the point of 

 the middle finger. The cow is spanned twice from head to tail, then a 

 third time in the reverse order. If these measurements do not cor- 

 respond, and they seldom do, then the cow is elf-shot and " badly 

 struck." 



Then the three-mearing water must be procured — that is, water from 

 a stream where three townlands or parishes meet. If procured before 

 sunrise, so much the better. Then the "erribs" (herbs) are procured, 

 Lady's Mantle {Alchemilla vulgaris) in one case being used. In a pail is 

 put the expressed juice of the herbs, the coins (copper and silver), and 

 one flint arrow-head, a pinch of salt, and, finally, the three-mearing 

 water. It is essential that the cow take three sips, or, if necessary, to 

 have it bottled down her throat in three gulps. 



The remainder of this curious decoction is sprinkled on her back, and 

 in her ears. 



Ballymena. 



CHRISTIAN ANTIQUITIES. 



BY W. J. FENNKLL, M.R.I. A.I. 



Druim-Ci,iabh na-g-Cros. 



Drumcliff of the Crosses formed one of our brief halts, to inspect the 

 few but interesting relics of what must once have been an ecclesiastical 

 foundation of importance in the time of the early Christian Church in 

 Ireland. 



These relics consist of the high cross, rising to 13 feet, which we 

 illustrate, a rude pillar stone (which may be the shaft of an unfinished 

 cross), and the remains of a round tower. Between these two latter 

 objects, the county road carefully wiydg. We were glad to note that all 



