VOL. XXVII.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. Q^^ 



I am promised free access to; and I have taken a catalogue of all the ancient 

 MSS. it contains. There are the works of Taliesyn, Aneuryn Gwawdydh, 

 Myrdhyn ab MorvTyn, and Kygodio Elaeth, who lived in the 5th and 6th 

 centuries (but the small MS. containing them all, seems to have been copied 

 about 500 years ago) as also of several others valuable in their kind. 



We have neither the ibex nor rupicapra in Wales, nor any other goat besides 

 the common. In our language the park deer is called geivr danas : the former 

 word signifies goats, but whether the latter implies Danish, as if deer had come 

 from Denmark, or somewhat else, we know not. There came this last May 

 into Cardiganshire, two strange birds, seemingly of the aquatic fissiped tribe. 

 They were almost 2 yards tall, and of a whitish colour, with the tips of their 

 wings dark. I took them to be some sort of exotic crane. 



Two years since, there came a flock of birds, about a hundred, to a hemp- 

 yard, at a place called Lhan Dhewi Velfrey, in Pembrokeshire ; and in one after- 

 noon destroyed all the hempseed. They were a little less than blackbirds; with 

 bills more stubbed and larger than that of a bullfinch ; they were very tame ; or 

 at least so intent on their feeding, that being forced from their places, they 

 would not remove above 2 or 3 yards. The cocks were of a deep scarlet colour, 

 without any distinction in the feathers of their wings, excepting that the tail 

 and the lower part of the belly were a little paler. The hen had a lovely scarlet 

 breast ; her head and back grey.* 



Some farther Observations relating to the Natural History of Wales. By Mr, 



Edw. Lhwyd, N° 334, p. 46/. 



The most considerable discoveries, since my last, were some new species of 

 glossopetrae and siliquastra, the first ichthyodontes, I suppose, that ever were 

 observed in Wales, on the top of a high mountain called Blorens, near Aber- 

 gavenny. Advancing about 3 miles further into Brecknockshire, at a place 

 called Lhan Elhi, we searched some coal and iron mines. Their coal-works 

 were not pits sunk like draw-wells ; but large inroads made into the side of the 

 hill, so that 3 or 4 horsemen might ride in abreast. The top is supported with 

 pillars left at certain distances ; and they make their bye lanes, as in other pits, 

 as the vein requires. The slate above this coal aflforded only stalks of plants, 

 which we did not save, as it seemed impossible to reduce them to their several 

 proper species. However, close by the pit we found a valuable curiosity, viz. 

 a stone for substance like those they make lime of; of a compressed cylinder 

 form ; and as it were cut off even at each end : about 8 inches long, and 3 in 

 breadth : its superficies adorned with equidistant dimples, like Dr. Plot's Lepi- 



* Perhaps the loxia enucleator, Linn, or greater bullfinch* 



