164 teansactions liveepool biological society. 



The Stone Ciecle. 



The most interesting relic on the Meayll Hill is the stone 

 circle which is situated a little way down from the summit 

 at a distance from the cairn of 250 yards in a direction 10° 

 W. of north, and at a height of about 500 feet above the 

 sea. Mr. Jeffcott gives this burial place the name of 

 " Rhuillick-y-lagg-shliggagh," graveyard of broken slates. 

 This name however we have ascertained belongs without 

 doubt to the circle down at the Calf Sound a mile or so to 

 the South, and we had no difficulty in discovering the 

 true name of the Meayll Circle, for it is still in actual use 

 among the fishermen who take its prominent stones in a 

 line with the Calf as a mark for one of their fishing grounds, 

 and apply to it the name of the ancient village in the hol- 

 low immediately below (which of course is not visible from 

 the sea) Lhag-ny-Boirey or hollow of botheration. 



The circle (see PI. XI) is formed of six symmetrically 

 arranged sets of cists or stone chambers, each set — for 

 which we propose the term " tritaph " — being composed 

 of one radial cist and two tangentially placed. Three 

 tritaphs form the eastern half of the circle and three form 

 the western, leaving considerable gaps or entrances at 

 north and south. The south entrance measures 16 feet in 

 a line with the external circumference, while the corres- 

 ponding opening at the north is 18 feet across. The north 

 to south diameter measures 50 feet, and the east to west 

 57 feet. A circular mound of loose stones and earth pack- 

 ed on to the external circumference of the cists slopes to 

 3 or 4 yards beyond the above measurements. 



There is some indication of a cist or chamber of some 

 kind having formerly been in the centre, but it had evidently 

 been previously disturbed and is no longer recognisable. 

 Although there are slight differences in size and proportion 

 between the different tritaphs they are all built on the 



