OLD PORTLAND. 251 



For long the superstitious believed that the uneasy shade 

 of John Penn visited Pennsylvania Castle, or might be seen 

 wandering noiselessly in the glades, or scanning the Channel 

 waters with keen and eager gaze, his spare, alert figure clothed 

 as in life with the knee breeches, shirt frills, and silver buckles 

 of his time. The belief has not altogether died out even 

 to-day, and it is said not without a reason. 



In the grounds there is an old and curious, perhaps unique 

 sundial, the dial itself being incised on an inverted anchor. 



There is a bust of John Penn in the Weymouth Guildhall. 



XVI. The Snaring of the " Snalter." 



The shy, lively, clannish birds, wheatears, are known 

 at Portland by no other name than " Snalters," or "Snort- 

 ers." They are expected to come to the Island each year 

 on " the first foggy day in March ; " in July the place used 

 to be full of them, and they are still plentiful in that month ; 

 early in September they depart. 



Until about 50 years ago the snaring of these birds was 

 a definite trade for boys in the summer months. " Snalter 

 traps " abounded in various parts of the Island ; roosts of 

 " slats " were constructed in conical shape with open runs, 

 and the trap itself was formed of a noose of horse-hair fixed 

 to a thin piece of wood. There were two or four entrances 

 for the birds, who are naturally fond of running into holes 

 for concealment, especially when the sun is clouded, and 

 the traps were known accordingly as " two -holders " or 

 " four-holders." The Portland expression of mild contempt, 

 as applied to a small house, " only a two-holder " derives 

 from this. In years gone by between three and four hun- 

 dred of these birds have been trapped in one day. On the 

 Island they sold for threepence a dozen ; but when sent to 

 the mainland Weymouth tradesmen charged a penny apiece 

 for them. They were regarded as a dainty and delicious 

 article of food. King George III. was very fond of them ; 



