OF AN INSECT HUNTER. 67 



from the posterior gig. The first of these gathered a waving 

 frond of fern from the mountain side, and fixed it hghtly in his 

 beaver, allowing it to float freely on the mountain breeze ; he 

 then drew the insect-net carefully from its retreat, and threw it 

 into the hollow of his arm : his companion ornamented his 

 beaver with oak, and the two pursued their journey for a 

 while on foot ; using the vehicle as an occasional resting-place 

 for themselves, and a constant receptacle for ferns and flowers 

 gathered by the way. 



The country round Rhaiadr-y-Gowy is of the finest 

 boldest character of wild beauty. The roads leading towards 

 Bualt, Cwm Elan, and Llangurig, and also the old Aberystwith 

 road, are alike in character, though different in detail. The 

 road, to Llangurig is admirably cut ; it follows the course of 

 Wye, and though passing among mountains tumultuously 

 upheaved, it has no single ascent of any importance. The 

 rocky overhanging brows of the mountains, their wooded bases, 

 the luxuriant forestry of the banks of Wye, and the fast flow 

 of its waters over a stony bed, rendering it a continued rapid, 

 all combine to make this road from Rhaiadr highly interesting 

 to the traveller ; but as we approached Llangurig the country 

 stretches out into vast and dreary mountains, that afford very 

 little to catch the eye of the painter, the tourist, or the naturalist. 

 Llangurig is an odd collection, of a church and half a dozen 

 houses, all apparently built in the year one, and all equally 

 astonished at finding themselves suddenly on a Macadamized 

 mail-coach road, — an event which has lately taken place, and 

 caused a mighty increment of horses, hostlers, and stabling. 

 Wye here flows over a loose shingle ; its waters are clear as 

 crystal, and abound with small fish, which swim about in 

 shoals of myriads, and are much in favour with the jack-herns, 

 who stalk about in the various little bays and tributary waters, 

 and seem quite at home, and if disturbed rise with reluctance 

 on heavy flapping wings, and seldom fly far. 



Leaving Llangurig the road gradually winds up between the 

 vast chain of Cwm Toidder mountains on the left, and the Plin- 

 limmon range on the right. These mountains possess a fine 

 undulating outline, continually varying ; they are clothed with a 

 sour rushy herbage to their summit, and feed an immense num- 

 ber of small half-starved looking sheep and black cattle : they 

 have a black, dreary, desolate and inhospitable look about them. 



