10 LOCALITIES OF RARER BRITISH PLANTS 
greater. We measured the grand trunk or main stem, and found 
it to be about thirty feet, and consequently the diameter would 
be between nine and ten feet. If the principal branches increased 
in the same proportion, their dimensions would be as follow, viz. 
13 ft. 4in., 11 ft. 9in., 10 ft. 3in., 10 ft., 8 ft., 7 ft. 8in.; and the 
radius, from the centre of the main trunk to the extremities of 
the branches, would be fifty-two feet. There is another Yew in 
the churchyard, but not yet remarkable for magnitude. This 
large tree did not exhibit any appearances of decay, and if unin- 
jured by accidents, such as storms, fire, and the like, seems likely 
to exist for many centuries. In the churchyard we also observed 
Vinca major well established. 
The road from Garthbibio to Mallwydd very much improved. 
At or near to the former the limestone ceases to be the principal 
formation, and the schist which crops out on the confines of 
Montgomeryshire forms an excellent road for pedestrians, even in 
wet or rainy weather. It is quite firm and free from the adhesive 
mud which abounds on roads passing through the limestone 
tracts, where the roads are always either dusty or muddy. At 
Mallwydd we left the Machynlleth road to our left, and struck 
across the Arran chain of hills towards Dolgelly by Dinas 
Mowddy,—a very romantic, interesting walk. The scenery on 
the Cann Office side of Mallwydd is striking, especially near to the 
boundary of the two counties, Montgomeryshire and Merioneth- 
shire, but it is not comparable to that over the Arran chain. 
The latter is remarkably desolate and barren. The riches of this 
part of the Principality le underground, consisting of lead and 
copper mines and slate quarries; but the latter are not very pro- 
ductive: even if they were so, the distance from water-carriage 
would render them comparatively of little value. Ores are valu- 
able enough to bear the expense of a long inland carriage, but 
slates are not.: 
From Mallwydd to Dinas Mowddy the distance is somewhat 
less than two miles along the banks of the Cerrist, a branch of the 
Dovey. We reached this ancient city—for so it is called here—in 
time for a rather late diner, having walked about twenty miles 
(from Meivod). The natives of this original and queer-looking 
place boast that it was never conquered ; hence we might expect 
to meet with genuine descendants of the ancient Celtic race in a 
city that held out against the Romans, the Saxons, the Danes, 
