THE GALLOWAY DIKE. 305 



In some cases the fences above described are by no 

 means displeasing to the eye ; for instance, in the West 

 Riding of Yorkshire, where the stone of which they are 

 formed is of a fine iron-brown, contrasting well with the 

 rich tints of the foliage of trees, and with the livelier 

 colours of creeping plants, which in many places form 

 a graceful and natural drapery for the wall. The rough 

 and almost ruinous appearance of these fences also 

 favours their picturesque effect. When seen at inter- 

 vals between the trees, as they follow the undulations of 

 the Yorkshire hills, they might almost be mistaken for 

 the remains of ancient fortifications, especially when the 

 harshness of their outlines is lost in the grey mists 

 which so frequently invest those beautiful landscapes. 



The ordinary dimensions of a dry stone-fence are 

 thirty-two inches in width at the bottom, sixteen inches 

 at the top, and four feet and a half in height, including 

 the coping. It is very desirable, both for beauty and 

 strength, to plant ivy near these walls ; for unless built 

 by experienced hands, they cannot be so secure as if 

 cement were employed. 



A variation from the common dry stone-fence is the 

 Galloway dike, so called from having been first used in 

 Galloway. This is principally useful for enclosing and 

 sheltering high grounds where sheep are pastured. It 

 is built in the regular manner, with dry stones to the 

 height of about two feet, being very broad at the base, 

 and tapering upwards. It is then levelled with a course 

 of flat stones projecting two or three inches over the 

 wall 011 both sides. The wall is then continued two 

 or three feet higher with a sort of open-work of rugged 

 stones, placed upon each other in positions that keep 

 them from falling, and yet having considerable vacan- 

 cies between them, allowing a free passage for light and 

 air. The wind whistles through these openings with 

 great force, and this, together with tfie tottering 

 appearance of the fence, seems to be quite effectual in 

 preventing sheep and cattle from approaching it. 

 x 



