Transactions. 45 



would weary you to multiply illustrations ; but bear these words 

 in mind, and you will not go far till you come upon them in use. 

 We have shown that diflferent kinds of Celtic words are used to 

 designate rivers. So in regard to hills we have the forms Pen 

 and Coomb. White Coomb is the highest hill in Dumfriesshire : 

 it is in the upper part of Moffat parish. In the same range of 

 hills is the lofty peak of Ettrick Pen. In Galloway the loftiest 

 hills are Cairns — Cairnsmore of Dee, Fleet, and Carsphairn ; 

 Cairnpyat in the Rhins ; and Meouls — the Meoul in the Kells 

 range, and Mid Moile, the highest hill in Wigtownshire. In 

 regard to the leading features of the principal districts of the 

 country similar differences in the distinguishing appellations may 

 be ti-aced. Now, just as the geologist Ijy examining a piece of 

 rock from any of our lofty hills is able to tell its probable age and 

 the manner of formation, so the philologist by analysing the 

 place-names is able to state the probable age of each, and give us 

 some account of the race liy which it was conferred. In this way 

 it is determined that " Coomb " and " Pen " are ancient British, 

 and must have Ijeen applied to the heights bearing them at a very 

 1 emote period. Just, however, as the lapse of time has smoothed 

 and rounded the beautiful green hills around them, leaving the 

 bare peaks, so has it worn away the old place-names, leaving 

 "Coomb" amd " Pen " standing out alone in suggestive prominence. 

 When we come to examine the titles used to distinguish hillocks, 

 dwelling-places, burns, little glens, and fields, we find a marked 

 difference between those common in Dumfriesshire and Galloway. 

 In the former, words used for the lesser eminences are — hill, fell, 

 laio, herry, dad, head, t02) ; for dwelling-jjlaces — tovjn, by, faukl, 

 hay, head, and park ; for streamlets — water, burn, syke, and grain; 

 for deep" clefts in the hills — cleuch, heugh, and scaur ; for more 

 open vales — hojie, gill, beck, syke ; for a plain — holm, haugh, lea, 

 and field. In Galloway such place-names are comparatively un- 

 known. There the eminences are cairns, craigs, and duns. Bal, 

 tor, bar, is the prefix used to indicate heights and fortified home- 

 steads. Within a short distance of each other, in Penninghame 

 parish, we have the farmsteads of Bai-raer, Barwhirran, Barlauchlan, 

 Barvennan, Barbiu-chany, Bai'nean, Barskeoch, Barnearnie, Bar- 

 trostan, and Bar. It is to be remarked that words indicating 

 different kinds of enclosed, cleared, and cultivated ground are 

 absent, from which it may be inferred that those who used the 

 language (Celts) were not familiar with agriculture. Words 



