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will need no capology to bring this subject before the Woolhope Chib, when 

 we remember that it touches our own local flora. We border upon Wales, and 

 can claim a slice of really Welsh vegetation in the Black Mountain district, which 

 lies to a great extent within the area of the Herefordshire Flora. We may there- 

 fore justly claim an interest, as Herefordshire naturalists, in the productions of 

 the higher precipices of Wales, since it is our duty to investigate those of the 

 " Tarens " of the Black Mountains. 



Seven cliffs are described underneath, and are selected as being the only 

 ones which the writer can make any claim to have himself explored at all 

 thoroughly. They are at the same time fairly representative of the mountain 

 precipices of Wales as a whole ; and the results arrived at by a larger experience 

 would probably not materially diflfer from those given by the seven selected. 

 They will naturally fall into three groups. The first group is comprised entirely 

 in Carnarvonshire, and reaches both the greatest altitude and far the greatest 

 boldness. This is the Northern Group. The second lies in the counties of 

 Merioneth and Montgomery, and is chiefly confined to a single mountain — Cader 

 Idris, so well known for its exquisite scenery. This is the Central Group. The 

 third lies in Breconshire, and abuts on our own county. This group falls into 

 two divisions, its main portion in the mountain range occupying the south of 

 Breconshire, and culminating in the Brecon Beacons, six miles south of the town 

 of Brecon ; and a subsidiary portion in the Black Mountain range, with its 

 numerous small cliffs culminating in Pen-y-Gader. This is the Southern Group. 

 It reaches a very respectable altitude in the Brecon Beacon (the highest ground in 

 South Wales) 2,960 feet, and its cliffs are, in the same portion, bold and extensive, 

 but it must take decidedly the third place in the richness of its Cliff Flora. In 

 the Black Mountain portion its altitude (2, GOO feet) is also respectable, but here 

 the cliffs are far less bold ; they hardly, indeed, deserve to be styled cliffs at all, 

 but consist of ranges of rocks breaking at certain spots the regular slopes of the 

 hill sides. These are locally termed " Tarens," which term, so far as I know, is a 

 strictly local one, not employed in other districts of Wales, just as the cliffs of the 

 Northern Group are locally termed " Clogwyns." I do not know the meaning of 

 of either of these two local words. 



In the following descriptions I must lament the entire absence of any 

 geological knowledge, which would have rendered them, had I possessed it, much 

 more full and accurate, as, no doubt, it would have rendered my own botanical 

 rambles more pleasurable and more fruitful. 



In the Northern Group then we find :— (1) Clogwyn-y-Garnedd. This is 

 the central cliff of the central summit in the Carnarvonshire mountain system, 

 and lies immediately to the east of Yr-Wyddfa, the summit of Snowdon. The 

 rocks of this precipice advance to within a hundred yards or two of the highest 

 point of the mountain ; that is, therefore, to about 3,450 feet. Its lateral extent 

 may be half-a-mile, while its perpendicular height cannot be less than 300 to 400 

 feet. It is thus an extensive as well as a grand cliff. It is the head-centre of the 

 cliff plants of Snowdon, and has produced, and probably still supports, all its 

 vegetable riches. It has the subsidiary advantage to the botanist that, though 



