Upon the western side of the river the drainage system of the watershed is conducted to its right bank by the three following tributaries successively :-Nant Calettwr, rising three miles westwards, augmented in its course by numerous streamlets, and finally debouching opposite the northern end of Craig-yr-alltGoch; Nant-Gris; and Nant-Brithgwm, at the western bend of the reach opposite the southern extremity of Coed-yr-allt-Gôch. Still further south we have the brook Nant Methan rising near the Ordnance survey pole, 1,736 feet, two miles and-a-half westwards, emptying south of Cwm Elan bridge; and five hundred yards further south another contribution to the river upon the right bank is supplied from Cwm Coel,

Below the Submerged Dam the ravine at Llanerchi contributes a small collection discharging near the disused Baptist chapel at Careg Ddu. In the steep bed of the stream here is exposed a huge table of slate rock, deeply marked with striations, like the slickensides of a geological fault, due to the attrition at some remote period of its overlying layer. Six hundred yards below the junction with the river Claerwen (clear white), the ravine between the heights of Gro Hill, 1,435 feet and Allt Gôch, 1,502 feet, collects the drainage in the Nant Gro, which flows by some small circular foundations of large stones between Gro-bâch and Gro-isaf, at the extremity of the Stone-masons' yard. They are apparently of great antiquity and are suggestive of Celtic hut-circles. They will come within the area of submersion when the Caban Côch reservoir is full.

At the present time the line of railway on the Works is completed as far as the upper Dam at Craig-Gôch, and wooden buildings are being erected in its immediate neighbourhood for the smiths and artificers. The train takes its departure about five o'clock in the morning, from near the Suspension Bridge at Elan village. The detachments detrain en route at their respective localities of employment, and the workmen are ready to commence their day's work at the upper Dam by six o'clock. The familiar name given to the railway course is "The Rout." The old mountain road here partakes more of the character of a cart track, with signs of occasional use, than is worthy to be dignified, as upon inquiry we found it was, at least by the native we accosted, with the title of the turnpike road! About one hour should be allowed for the walk by road and by the permanent way over the railway sleepers from Craig-Gôch to the excavations for the Dam at Pen-y-Gareg, allowing occasional leisure intervals for examination of the rocks and scenery.

The parting line or lip of the basin to the west appears to be about two or three miles distant, the opposite side of the watershed draining into the Claerwen Valley. Leaving behind the excellent sheep-grazing lands and treeless hills surrounding Craig-Goch, and travelling southwards down the stream, the wooded slope below a larger farm building at Pen-y-Gareg, wooded down to the deeply cut ravine in which the river flows, bursts suddenly into view as charming as it is surprising. Here is the site selected for the Pen-y-Gareg Dam. Passing onwards, the view from the railway looking down upon the busy scene of toilers amongst the drills, travelling cranes, and other huge machinery in motion at the excavation of the Pen-y-Gareg Dam demands another halt which is irresistible. Fully three

hours should be allowed for leisurely walking, allowing for haltings on the way for retrospective views, from the upper dam at Craig-Gôch to Cwm Elan bridge. On the homeward journey from Cwm Elan, if time permits, the pedestrian is recommended to cross the river at Careg-Ddu to appreciate the warmth and beauty of Craig-y-Foel as seen from the office of the engineering staff above the Submerged Dam.

The dip of the slaty rocks in the course of the walk from Pont-ar-Elan to Caban-coch is perplexing in its variability. The most conspicuous contortions are exposed upon the Radnorshire side of the river, best viewed from the Caban Dam, and close to it.

The walk from Rhayader by the old Aberystwith road to Pont-ar-Elan, thence, following the Elan downwards as far as the upper Dam at Craig-Gôch, to the Elan Valley Hotel may be computed at 15 miles. Or, starting from Elan Valley Hotel as Head Quarters, the walk by the new road to the upper Dam at Craig-Gôch and back would be 15 miles, which may be considerably shortened and varied by taking the footpath at Dol-Folau farm, midway between Pen-yGareg and the Submerged Dam, and returning to Elan Valley Hotel over Y Foel Hill.

THE WIRE SWING BRIDGE.

The Wire Swing Bridge has been before alluded to as a common feature of this district. The name is appropriate. A little recklessness displayed by a party traversing it may easily put it into such vibratory motion as to precipitate them all into the river.

The Wire Swing Bridge is one of the most simple of footbridges, being constructed of eight strands of inch wire, running through transverse oak joists of 2-inch scantling, supporting a 12-inch tread of platform formed of two 6-inch wide planks, 14-inches thick, four of the strands on each side of the tread. The bridge is further strengthened by six strands of the same wire running through vertical pillars of 2-inch scantling, which are dovetailed and pinned at intervals into the transverse joists; the pillars are also further connected to the joists by oblique struts outside. These six strands of wire, three on each side, form the parapets of the bridge.

The estimate for a bridge is readily calculated-let us take for instance the wire swing bridge at Aber Elan, near Nantgwyllt, where the river is 50 yards wide. There will be required :

Two strong upright oak baulks, 10-inches square, at each end, for

One ladder of approach of 8 steps with 1 foot rise, at each end
Fourteen lengths of inch wire, 50 yards each

2 ladders

Add for contingencies....

700 yards 100 yards

or a total of 800 yards inch wire

Thirteen transverse oak joists of 2-inch scantling 4 feet long,

supporting the platform

Forty-two ditto ditto 3 feet long-intermediate ditto

13 oak joists

42 ditto

Thirteen transverse oak joists of 4 feet long-for pillars-on each side 26 oak joists Thirteen ditto, struts, 2 feet long ditto-on each side

...

Two lengths of 50 yards plank, 6-inches wide, 14-inches thick
Twenty-six wooden pins for pinning the pillars below the joists.
Twenty-six screws for fixing top ends of struts to pillars.
Twenty-six iron pins, six inches long, with bolts and nuts.

One gross of copper nails for fixing the platform to joists below.

26 ditto 100 yards

The width of the platform (including 4 wire strands on each side), is 2 feet.
The top wire of the parapet is 3 feet 4 inches above the platform.
The platform is from 8 to 10 feet above the ordinary level of the river.

RARE BIRDS.

Some rare birds have their habitat here. Commingled with the confusion of noises from the picks, stone hammers, hand drills, the rapid tap, tap, tap (20 taps in 5 seconds or 240 taps in one minute), of the steam drill in its revolutionary motions, clanking of chains from the travelling cranes, whistling of the steam engines, noise of the trollies upon the gantries discharging their loads into the depths below, occasionally outdone by blasting operations echoed and re-echoed from rock to rock, suggestive of a bombardment by artillery, the peaceful cooing of the Stock Dove, not to be confounded with the Rock Dove of our cliff coasts, is heard from the cliffs three hundred feet or more over our heads. These birds probably nest in cavities in the rocks, as they do in Dorset, in Devon, and at Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. Before these water works were commenced the Raven used to breed in its very favourite haunt, Craig Gigfran (the Raven's Rock) on the Radnorshire side, close to Caban-Côch. Dr. Richardson informs us that they have transferred their nesting places to higher up in the valley. A pair of Ravens nested this year in the rocks above Dol-Folau, and their nest was, as usual, taken.

This grand bird deserted the Stanner Rocks between Kington and Old Radnor, also the Pillar rock at Symond's Yat, when the railways were being made at those places. It has become so rare in our country that we look to the local residents at Rhayader to spare no pains to preserve it from extermination. At this time of year the Cuckoo is heard calling his name over the almost treeless moorland as high up as Pont-ar-Elan. The female perhaps lays her eggs in a nest of one of the pipits.

The following notes have been received from Mr. R. Lewis Lloyd, recently owner of this property, and for many years a resident here:-"The rare bird, the Kite, is to be seen now and then. The Buzzard is very common. Black-game, Grouse, and Heron are numerous, and Curlew are very numerous. Of Waders, so classed in Yarrell, there are a great number, such as Common Snipe, &c. Of rarer birds I have killed two Solitary Snipe and several Water-rails. Of other birds we had Merlins, and a chance Hobby; Peregrines now and then; Goosanders in winter; Hen Harriers, always a few; Hawfinches by chance in 1887, and one year since that date; a few Kingfishers; Pied Flycatchers common. I have twice seen Sea Swallows." To-day we saw the beautiful bird, the Pied Flycatcher.

As regards the rarer animals of the Fauna, Mr. R. Lewis Lloyd writes: "I remember any quantity of Polecats, but none of recent years. Marten cats were common; in one year my keeper caught more than twenty in traps. I think there are a few there now, but of late years, as there are so few left, we desisted from attempting to catch them.

Dr. Richardson, of Rhayader, informed us that a Pine Marten (Mustela martes) was killed two years ago near the town. This large weasel, although holding its own in the wilder parts of Scotland, is nearly exterminated in England. The Pine Marten is the only British Marten. The Beech Marten (Mustela foina) is said never to have been killed in England. See the paper on the Marten by E. R. Alston, in Zoological Transactions, June 3rd, 1879.

THE FLORA.

When the waters overwhelm the lower parts of these valleys birds and the fauna generally will simply migrate to a residence on a slightly higher elevation. Not so with all the flora. The trees in the lower part of the valley will be submerged, but some on the higher ground will be spared to form here and there pleasing objects in the landscape bordering the reservoirs. The Rev. W. Lisle Bowles thus refers to them in his graceful poem descriptive of this locality under the title of "Coombe Ellan," published in 1801 :

And mark the old and mossy oaks
Emboss the mountains' slope; the wild ash
With rich red clusters mantling; or the birch
In lowly glens light-waving.

As regards the oak trees, it was particularly observed how weirdly grown and stunted they were, as if thwarted in their earlier growth, on each side of the gorge at Caban Côch, through which, as through a funnel, the winds must blow in times of storm with great velocity and pressure; their weather-beaten trunks, covered with moss and lichen, indicate that they have experienced a rough time, whilst their dimensions betoken an age on the average of only about a century. There are older trees, for instance some fine spruce firs, on the approach to Nantgwyllt, one of which has a girth of 24 feet at a height of five feet from the ground. In company with a local resident, Mr. Stephen Williams, of Rhayader, the traces of an immense ancient forest were pointed out by him extending high up the hills. We know that after the death of Llewellyn, the Abbey of Strata Florida (Ystrad Flur, the blooming plain), about ten or twelve miles west of Nantgwyllt, was burnt, and that the whole surrounding country was wrapped in flame. We must also bear in mind that much devastation of woods and forests was committed by decree of King Edward I., who, "in order to prevent any more rebellious attempts of the Welsh, cut down all the woods in Wales wherein in any time of danger they were wont to hide and save themselves."

The usual plants of mountain and moorland are found here, such as the Sundew, Drosera; the delicate purple flowering Butterwort, Pinguicula; Hare's tail Cotton grass, Eriophorum vaginatum; Scotch asphodel, Narthecium ossifragum; Fir Club-Moss, Lycopodium Selago; Yellow Pansy, Viola lutea; Wood Horse

tail, Equisetum sylvaticum; Cross-leaved Heath, Erica tetralix, var flore alba. Amongst numerous others may be mentioned Vicia Orobus, Wood bitter Vetch; Habenaria chlorantha, greater Butterfly Orchis; Corydalis claviculata, white climbing corydalis; Convallaria majalis, the Lily of the Valley, in the wood one mile north of Cwm Elan, opposite Dol Folau; and on the rocks in the Nant Dol Folau, Hymenophyllum Wilsoni, the Filmy Fern.

Dr. Richardson lent an annotated catalogue of British plants met with in Radnorshire, which copy was passed to Rev. Augustin Ley for perusal. Mr. Ley exhibited a beautiful Woodrush, new to Britain, Luzula pallescens, Wahl., gathered on June 17th, near Presteign, Radnorshire. Mr. Ley was engaged all day studying Rubi and Hieracia, and discovered a few hitherto unrecorded from Radnorshire. Among the brambles was Rubus infestus, W.; and among the hawkweeds, Hieracium auratum. As regards the plants seen on the day of our visit, June 23rd, he has made the following remarks:-"The dry hot season has brought everything at least three weeks forward. Brambles, roses and hawkweeds, usually in flower in the middle of July, were flowering freely. Trollius europæus, globe flower, occurs in several places on the Elan. Vicia orobus, the mountain vetch, was already in seed above Cwm Elan, along the river Elan. Fox glove in full flower, one specimen found of a pure white. Narthecium ossifragum, the Scotch asphodel, in full flower. Sedum telephium, live long, on rocks in the Elan Valley above Cwm Elan. Verbascum thapsus, common mullein, in the gardens at Cwm Elan. Myosotis repens, a mass of flower in some of the ditches."

In bidding adieu to the Elan Valley, rather than throw up our hands in despair at the approaching obliteration of some of its teachings of nature, we would hopefully exclaim, "Elle se recoupera. Le roi est mort, vive le roi," as we contemplate the prospect seven years hence, say in 1903, of a series of serpentine reservoirs, extending for a length of nearly 10 miles along the Elan Valley, with a new and broad highway, crossing the submerged dam over seven segmental arches, substituting for the old trackway a new coach route, or a healthy cycling or pedestrian road from Rhayader towards Aberystwith: or, when the six or seven miles of reservoirs up the Claerwen valley have been formed, the introduction of a new route to Strata Florida Abbey (10 to 12 miles distant), at present inaccessible to a stranger, or at least dangerous without a guide familiar with the mountain paths. The mountain climber need not complain, for there would still remain open to him a mountainous tract from eight to fifteen miles in breadth and sixty miles in length, including Plinlimmon, northwards, past Machynlleth to Cader Iris, and thence to the hills of the more northern parts of Wales. What a grand spectacle of lake scenery will be then presented to view in these two valleys! In the time of maximum floods what a picturesque cascade will be formed overflowing the summit at Caban Côch for a length of 600 feet! An overflow of three feet, as calculated by Mr. Mansergh in his report, would represent 7,000,000,000 gallons in the twenty-four hours. The dam at Lake Vyrnwy is 1,100 feet long, and 85 feet in height. The height of the Caban waterfall will be 120 feet. The President of the Woolhope Club has promised to keep himself, if all be well then, in telegraphic communication with a local resident. with a view