28 Report of Meetings for 1885. By Jas. Hardy. 



the tomb, 4 of the stones are compacted together like the guard- 

 ing stones of the Bughtrig Mote ; and there is only another stone 

 left which is on the N.W. side. This is on Middle-knowes farm. 

 Then we went to the second and larger circle called the " Druid 

 Circle ", which is on Townhead hill. It encircles a cairn on the 

 summit of a natural rise or ridge whence there is an extensive 

 prospect. It is a large double circle with the stones not quite 

 regularly placed; of which 12 remain in the outer, and 5 in the 

 inner rings. The green hillock that contains the cairn or tumulus 

 is nearest the west and south ends. We did not follow out the 

 search, although we noticed still larger stones on Chatto-hill, but 

 we were satisfied that the supposed Druids who erected them, 

 were merely the old native people, putting in practice their 

 customary methods of commemorating their deceased chieftains. 



Before leaving Chatto-hill, I will venture an explanation of 

 the word Chatto, with which I have been frequently puzzled. 

 Lately I noticed in one of the spellings the form of Schatto. 

 This gives us shaw, a native wood of low growth ; the two Ws 

 may be the remains of the od of heafod, the head ; and the o is 

 undoubtedly ho, a height ; Danish hoei a hill, etc ; well-known in 

 Northumbrian place-names. This yields the height or hill of the 

 head of the shaw. The shaw exists at the base of Chatto Craig 

 to this day. About the summit of this Craig I have also the 

 information that it had been occupied by a British town fortified 

 like Bughtrig Mote. 



Leaving the stone-circles we crossed the heathy and grassy 

 ground in the direction of Cunzierton hill. In the drier or better 

 soil brackens grew, and here a pair of Whin-chats had taken 

 possession. Curlews, Black game, and Partridges flew up at our 

 approach. This is favourite hunting ground. Talking of the 

 wild grasses, Mr Simeon says that the geese at Pennymoor grow 

 fat on the seeds of Mossorops (Juncus squarrosusj in autumn. 

 In Kidland I learned that the Snow Buntings feed during the 

 winter snows upon the seeds of this rush. Mr Simson says, 

 which I was not aware of, that his sheep will not eat Sheep's 

 fescue, (Fettuca ovina), "Black Fescue or Bent", perhaps 

 duriuscula is meant, unless he puts on cattle to crop it down. It 

 is also called " ae-pointed grass." This is one of the old pet 

 grasses ; but like Crested dogs'-tail is probably little worth, 

 except for Cheviot or black-faced sheep. Almost every seed 

 mixture has Ardhoxanthum odoratttm in it, because it "comes 



