54° [Proc B.N.F.C., 



too, are rather long, the cheek bones are not prominent. On 

 the occasion of my last visit, Dr. C. R. Browne, of Dublin, and 

 myself made numerous careful measurements of 27 men. To a 

 visitor the people appear pleasant and courteous, but they are 

 said to be cunning, untrustworthy, and very boastful when in 

 liquor. They are also said to occasionally treat the old people 

 badly. Love-making is practically unknown. The people are 

 subject to very few diseases, and they are long lived. A 

 considerable number of the young people emigrate. 



(3) Mode of Life : — A well-to-do man will have what is 

 locally called a " crogarry,'' or 11 to 14 acres of land, or more 

 correctly speaking of rocks and stones, for probably about one- 

 fourth only of the land is fit for pasturage or tillage. He will 

 have a mare, one or two cows, sheep and pigs. Enough potatoes 

 are grown for home consumption, but all the meal is imported 

 from Galway. The rye is grown for the straw for thatching. 

 Most ol the better-off men own a curragh. The men of the 

 north island do very little fishing, but spend most of their 

 energies in making kelp. ^40 a year can be made in this way ; 

 but half this sum, or even less, is a more usual amount. All 

 their peat has to be imported from Connemara ; in the early 

 spring, cow-dung is dried and used as fuel. Even now most 

 of their clothing is entirely home-made. The women spin the 

 wool of their own sheep. There are several weavers on the 

 islands, and the yarn or the flannel is dyed at home. The men 

 usually wear white frieze, or may have grey or brown waistcoats; 

 a Tam-o'-Shanter cap is in very general wear. The women 

 wear white or red flannel petticoats ; they never wear caps or 

 bonnets. Most wear red tartan shawls, which they buy in 

 Galway. Both sexes wear sandals made of raw cowhide, the 

 hair being outside. The edges of the hide are caught up with 

 string, with which they are tied on over the instep. There is 

 nothing very special in the dwellings ; the kitchen always has 

 a front and a back door opposite to one another, and the pigs 

 have comfortable quarters by the fire. 



(4) Folk-Lore : — A wide-spread folk-custom is praying and 



