ARRIVAL OF SUMMER BIRDS. The weather has not been very favourable for he arrival of the earlier species of birds, but some we put in an appearance. The wheatear was on alé Hill on the 22nd of March. This bird is one f the earliest to arrive. I have seen it come to he farm yard when driven from the hill by a now storm. It is but sparingly distributed in this art; and I do not wonder at it, because it is aught by hundreds on the Sussex Downs for the ondon markets. It is caught in the autumn hen migrating southward, and is much esteemed a delicacy. The ring ouzel got back to its usual aunts on the hill, and was to be seen on the 29th f March. This bird is common by the sides of ur mountain streams. If it was not for its istinct white throat, it might easily be mistaken or the common blackbird. The water ouzel or ipper resembles it in colour, but the ring ouzel is larger bird, and has a longer tail than the water uzel. The notes of the three are quite distinct. The ring ouzel makes a nest about the same size, nd with nearly the same materials, as that of a lackbird; it is usually placed on a ledge of rock nder the shelter of an overhanging tuft of eather, or on the ground under a bush of heather. The swallow-I have been told that the chimney wallow was also seen on the 29th, but I have not et seen it myself. The 29th is a very early date or this part of the country. I heard the chiff haff on the 9th of this month (April.) It is about Es usual time of arrival in this district. I oberved the sandpiper by the side of the river Dee, ear Llandderfel, on April 13th. This is at all imes a welcome visitor.-THOS. RUDDY, The Fardens, Palé, Corwen. NOTICES OF BOOKS. Folk-Lore for March contains Mr Clodd's Presidential Address, which will be read with reat interest, and as to which the Council find necessary to observe that it does not ecessarily express their opinions or the opinions f the members at large. We are not surprised the remark, since the address is certain to be hallenged in almost every sentence. Dr. Bolton Glanvill Corney writes of Leprosy tones in Fiji, of one of which he says This stone possessed a power of conferring prosy upon any person on whom the spell might eworked. It is by no means clear to what xtent its proprietors were able, or supposed to be ble, to exercise their volition in the matter; but e medium by which the thing was said to be fected was an act of contact. It was not ecessary that the doomed person's body should buch Katalewe [the name of the stone]. It was nough if a person who bore a grudge could obtain ossession of his intended victim's masi, or of some raps of his food-refuse or other rejected abbish, and by the medium of the proprietor of e stone-Taukei ni vatu-it was placed on or gainst it. a connection with this stone, the writer entions the case of a married woman who ated that leprosy was always in her family, but who had been cured of it by the treatment of a native woman. In the Miscellaneous Notes the custom of getting up early to see the sun rise is mentioned. "An old woman (Mrs Burton of Colkirk, Norfolk) says her father used always to get up extra early to see the sun rise on Easter Sunday, for on that day 'it dances as if in agony. The frontispiece to the Reliquary and Illustrated Archaeologist for April is a wooden Egyptian_Toilet Spoon. "A tall and not ungraceful Egyptian girl is represented standing in a boat and playing on a stringed musical instrument. The Nile is conventionally indicated by three fish swimming along below. Tho whole of the rest of the design consists of lotuses tastefully arranged and with the spaces between them pierced. The shortening of the boat to suit its length to the width of the handle, although it makes the boat look absurdly small, at the same time combines with the vertical lines of the stems of the lotuses to add to the height and dignity of the nude girl's figure." The spoons were used to hold the essences, pomades, and other preparations to beautify the hair or complexion. A profusely illustrated paper by Mr J. Romilly Allen deals with the curious Cup-and-Ring Sculptures of Ilkley, and Mr Alfred W. Johnston writes of the "Dwarfie Stone" of Hoy, Orkney, as to which the writer's conclusion is that "All these considerations point to the Dwarfie Stone having been originally a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock' with a very great stone' for a door." The illustrations throughout the Reliquary are excellent and most useful. APRIL 29, 1896. NOTES. - The following CURIOUS EPITAPHS. appear among a number of specimens of various kinds of epitaphs to be found in our parish churchyards, in a paper by the Rev Thomas Moore, M.A., in the Church Monthly for December, 1895, p. 280:-" Of the punning epitapha here is a brief but fair specimen written, it is said, out of some malice by a Mr Downton, of his father-in-law, the Rev Mr Chest, vicar of Chepstow, who in his lifetime had given him some supposed cause for offence- 'Here lies at rest, I do protest, "Here is another [among the samples of eccentric Epitaphs] on an organ blower, which is to be found in a churchyard in Wales 'Under this stone lies Meredith Morgan, Who blew the bellows of our church organ; Tobacco he hated, to smoke most unwilling, Yet never so pleased as when pipes he was filling. No reflection on him for rude speech could he Though he gave our old organist many a blast. Though a capital blower, And now lies a note lower."" Could any of your readers say whether the former of these epitaphs is to be found at Chepstow; and where "in Wales "is the latter one? Itm Ieuan ap Jankin ap John was buryed th xxvijth day of July, Item Katrine vz John was buryed the vj day August. Itm David ap John ap ll'n ap Rees and Margis vz Ieuan ap Rees Wyn was wedded the vij day a August. Itm Owen ap Rydderch was christened the vi of August. Itm Ieuan ap Thomas ap Jenkin was christens the said day and tyme. Itm Richard ap Gruff. ap David ap John christened the viijth day of August the year abo said. the vth day of September. Itm Mallt vz humffrey ap David Vaughan vai Itm Morice ap Morgan ap Ieuan was christened the said day. Itm Thomas ap humffrey ap Ieuan ap howe Itm Gwen vz Owen ap ll'n ap David ap bowel was christened the xxviijth day of November. Itm Elis ap Willm' ap Owen was christened the sayd day. Itm Mary vz Hughe ap Jeffrey was christened the xij day of December. BONWM. EARLY LEAVES IN THE MALLWYD PARISH REGISTERS.-With the permission of the Editor I intend sending the earlier records contained in the above-named Registers to BYEGONES. Its readers are probably aware that Parish Registers originated in an order of Thomas Lord Cromwell, made in the year 1538, but I believe there are not many of that date now in existence. The majority begin early in a the seventeeth century, and most of those are very deficient until after the Restoration in 1660. Therefore the Mallwyd Registers, although the records from February, 1634, to October, 1658, have been torn out, and there are other deficiencies, are superior in point of antiquity to the majority of such documents. An addi. tional interest belongs to the Mallwyd Registers from the fact that this parish was the headquarters of "Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy," and this band of thieves had been extirpated only thirteen years before the Registers begin. We may safely assume that many whose death is recorded on these early leaves were connected by blood and marriage with the outlaws who expiated their crimes in the year 1555. But I think what follows are the very first entries made, as the beginning of the book is in a good condition. The writing, however, in many places is so faded that it is quite unreadable. Entries here and there have been misplaced--the third and fourth entry, for instance. MALLOYD. Anno d'ni 1568. C.A. David ap John was buryed the xxth day of June the yeare aboue written. Item Ieuan ap ll'n ap Ieuan goz and Katrine vz David ap Owen was wedded the xxvjth day of June. Itm Elin vz Thomas Vaughan was christened the sayd day. Itm Thomas ap Jankyn Robert was buryed the xxij day of [illegible]. Itm Gwen vz Hughe ap leuan ap David sp Tudr. was christened the xxviij day of December. Itm Ieuan ap howell ap Hughe ap Ieuan Day was christened the second day of January. [There are about seven entries here so faded that the names are quite illegible). Item Ieuan ap Pierce ap howell ap [haghe!] was christened the sayd day. howell was christened the said day. tened the xxth day of Marche the yeare aboue sayd. QUERIES. CHRISTENING CUSTOM.-Having occasion to christen, the other day, there came under my notice a strange-to me very strange-custom of throwing the water out of the bowl into fire. Can any of your readers tell me something Item Gruff. ap Rees ap Ieuan David was chris-about the custom and its significance? tened the vj day of June. Item Hughe ane." John ap Owen was christened the vjth day of Item Jane vz John ap Humffrey was christened the xxvij day of June. Item Katrine vz Ieuan ap howell ap guttyn was buryed the xxvijth day of June. Itm Owen ap howell ap Ieuan' was christened the xviijth day of July. Itm Mallt vz David ap Gruff, was christened the said day. Llanymynech. G.O.E QUAKERS OF MONTGOMERYSHIREout of BYE-GONES and Montgomeryshire Wort A friend lately favoured me with extracts copist Morris, a native of Llanwddyn, and it is stadel relating to a Quaker named Shone Tho that the said Morris wrote a book about the Quakers of Montgomeryshire. Would somet give the title page and a description of this book! D.G.G. Doubtless "N.W.T." knows of the common saying, on one hand, that the unmarried person who unasked takes the last piece will not be married at all, and on the other, that if she is offered the last piece and takes it she will have a handsome husband before the year is out. I mention the lady only, having only heard it in this form, but probably the bachelor would be in equal luck in the same circumstances. It is, I believe, a common saying in Shropshire and North Wales, and very likely generally. One variant, I believe, is that the person who offers the piece must be a married woman. W.O. THE HARP (Feb. 20, 1895).-"D. E. E." in Y Cerddor for August, 1895, referring to this contribution to BYE-GONES, says :— In the Imperial Dictionary the Irish word cruit, and the Welsh word cruth-which Chappell quotes as the form in Erse-is given as the equivalent of the English word crowd; a stringed instru. ment not of the harp, but of the violin or fiddle family, and which the late Sir Frederick Gore Ouseley (vide Naumann's History of MusicCassell), and other eminent authorities, considered one of the earliest precursors of our modern stringed instruments. ED. CURRENT NOTES. Mr Isaac Taylor, a well-known estate agent, died at Coleshill, Flint, yesterday week. Lady Mary Feilding, twin sister of the late Earl of Denbigh, died on Friday night at Bickley, Kent, after a few days' illness. At the meeting of the British Archeological Association on the 15th April, a paper by Lady Paget was read on "Some ancient stone forts in Carnarvonshire." The Marquis of Bath, whose death was announced Minsterley district, and was the owner of Snaillast week, was a popular landowner in the beach lead mines. The death took place on Friday night, after a comparatively short illness, of the Rev J. M. Jones, vicar of Abererch,near Pwllheli. Deceased, who was about 65, was appointed to the vicarage in 1880. He was held in the highest esteem in the parish. He leaves a widow and an infant child, and his loss will be deeply felt in the district. from under the imposts, have been utilised in old days to support the shop, while the capital and arches were swept away, and large square flagstones have been placed on the square piers. The workmanship of these piers is excellent. A photograph and drawing have been secured; but in a few days the alterations in the cellars will be completed, and then these Norman remains will again be covered up. They have in the meantime been inspected by many members of the Woolhope Club, and will be described in its Transactions." Mr Chappell's work is undoubtedly an interesting one, and in it he has done good service to Eng. lish music; but whether in playing the role of special pleader he has done justice all round, is open to question-at least. On another occasion it may be advisable to call attention to the claims he puts forward to some of our Welsh Airs-or at The Athenæum says:-"Last week some any rate, airs that are acknowledged as such-but for the present we have only to do with the above excavations connected with the cellarage of a quotation. It is almost inconceivable that so able butcher's shop in High Town, Hereford, disclosed a man should have ventured upon the astounding the remains of what in all probability has been the statement, that the Welsh word for the harp-crypt of a Norman church. Two large piers of telyn, which he spells "teylin" is one "for squared stone, with springers rising on each side which no etymon is to be found in the language!" Moreover, the bent of his argument is that the harp was distinctively a Saxon instrument; but the very fact that the " Welsh or Cambro-Britons" had a totally different name for it, goes a long way to prove-had we no other evidence at hand -that they were not indebted to the AngloSaxons for the instrument in any case. In his preface to "The Songs of Wales" (Boosey-1873), Mr Brinley Richards wrote thus:-"Mr Chappell (in his Music of the Olden Times'), says he is able to prove that the harp is a Saxon instrument from its very name, which he adds 'is not derived from the British or any other Celtic language. He also remarks, the Welsh, or Cambro-Britons, call Probate of the will has been granted, and personal their harp teylin, a word for which, &c.' A great authority on such subjects, Dr Owen Pughe, says estate of the net value of £50,290 148 10d (the gross that the root of the word telyn is tel, meaning that value being £99,630 14s 6d) has been left by Mr which is 'straight or drawn tight." John Taylor Davies of Koseneath, Wrexham, and As regards the Irish name for the harp, the present writer's of the Cobden Flour Mills there, formerly of the knowledge of that language is more than limited, firm of J. T. Davies and Co., Great Western Buildbut in Perceval Graves Irish Song Book Glossary ings, Liverpool, provision merchant, the owner of (Fisher Unwin-1894) the Irish word given for the the City of Bristol and other steamships, who died at Brown's Hotel, Dover-street, London, on the instrument is Clairseach :8th January last,aged sixty-five years, and of whose will of December 2, 1891, with a codicil made the 4th January, 1896, the executors are Mr Thomas Bellringer, of 24, North John-street, Liverpool, "Ye dark-haired youths and elders hoary, List to the wand'ring harper's song; THE LATE MR J. T. DAVIES OF ROSENEATH. 42 solicitor, Mr Joseph Shield Mackintosh, of 10, Victoria-street, Liverpool, accountant, and Mr Edward Roper, of Rigby Buildings, Dale-street, Liverpool, accountant, to the last named of whom the testator bequeaths £150 a year for seven years; to Mr Mackintosh £200 a year during the continuance of the trust; to Gertrude Hume, £1,000; to the testator's godson, Dudley Lambert, son of Mr John Lambert, of Lenton, Nottingham, £5,000; and to Helena Watson, formerly governess and companion in the testator's family, £1,000, and £19,000, or, in the event of her death in his lifetime, to her sister Margaret Beatrice, £1,000 and £14,000. Mr Davies left all the residue of his estate, real and personal, to his wife, Mrs Margaret Davies. £500. IMPORTANT DISCOVERY AT VALLE On Monday, April 20, whilst clearing the debris THE LATE ALDERMAN SOUTHAM.-Probate of the will has been granted, and the personal estate has been valued at £23,570 12s 1d, of Alderman Thomas Southam of Shrewsbury, J.P., C.C., four times Mayor of Shrewsbury, senior partner in the firms of Thomas Southam and Sons, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury, wine and spirit merchants, and of T. and W. T. Southam, the Old Salop Brewery, Shrewsbury, who died on the 31st of December, 1895, aged 77, having celebrated his golden wedding in March of last year. Alderman Southam's will bears date August 25, 1895, with a codicil made the 5th of July, 1896, and probate has been granted to his sons, John Downes Southam and Herbert Robert Southam, wine merchants, power being reserved to grant probate also to his widow, Mrs Mary Ann Southam, his son Samuel Clement Southam, and his son-in-law, Edwin Hyla Greves, to each of whom the testator bequeathed £100, and to Mrs Southam £500, his horses, carriages, and consumable stores, the use and enjoyment of his times gone by of finding tombstones in different furniture and household effects, and his house or parts of the Abbey, and placing them near the one of the adjoining villas and a life annuity of high altar. All the tombstones do not belong to Alderman Southam bequeathed to each of the Cistercian Order at all. As we know, there his grandchildren £100, to his sister Marian a life have been two orders of monks at Valle Crucis, annuity of £40, to his grandchildren Dorothy and the first followed the Eastern Church, and the Gladys Owen £20 each during their respective second the Western, and to establish the Roman minorities, to his son Herbert Robert £2,500, and rule the first monks were driven out about the upon trust for his daughters £4,000 each. time of Edward I., who banished all the Jews testator bequeathed the centrepiece presented to from England, and it was then, I presume, that him in 1866, and the portrait of himself, by for building purposes to make jambs for window. so many tombstones were destroyed and used up Ouless, presented to him in 1866, to his son Samuel Clement; the tea and coffee service, pre- and I find, too, that some of the tombstones and even for the groining of the chapter house, sented in 1866, and the other portrait of himself presented in 1866, to his son John Downes; the were used to build Llangollen Bridge, as in alterclaret jug to his son Walter; and the tankard to ing an arch for the railway two tombstones were his son Herbert, to be regarded by them as heir-found. They were taken by Mr Robertson, to looms. He bequeathed the silver Monteith bowl engineer, to Siamberwen, and they are to be seen presented to him on the occasion of his business of these stones for publication in "Bye-Gones." I hope shortly to send you a drawing jubilee by Lord Burton to his son Samuel Clement, for his life, with remainder to his eldest son, with remainder to the testator's other sons and their eldest sons and grandsons respectively, and with ultimate remainder to the Mayor and Corporation of Shrewsbury, to be held as part of the Corporation plate, in remembrance of the long and unequalled connection of the testator with the borough, and in acknowledgment of kindness with which he had been treated. The the great The there now. The Late Mr. Richard Morgan, Clanidloes. at Newtown, yesterday week, at the age of We regret to record the death, which took rhe of Mr Richard Morgan, solicitor, Bank Hoes, Llanidloes. Mr Morgan, who had been ailing Buxton, and, after a stay there of about a month, since October, went to recruit his health at he returned to Llanidloes to contest the last municipal election in November for a seat on the Town Council. Although successful, the worry and excitement did not conduce to the improvement of his health, and shortly afterwards he visited his parents at Newtown. Whilst there his illness became more serious, and with the exception of an occasional rally he gradually sank, the immediate cause of death being blood poisoning. Mr Morgan was the fourth son of Mr Evan Morgan, Elephant Buildings, Newtown. He was articled to Messrs Williams, Gittins and Taylor, solicitors, Newtown, and soon after his admission as a solicitor in 1885, he established a practice at Llanidloes, and a joint practice at Rhayader and Llandrindod. Mr Morgan has on two occasions been elected a member of the Llanidloes Town Council, and in the Council Chamber he energetically associated himself with public business, notably the water supply question. He also acted as clerk to the Water Supply Committee and Scavenging Commitee. He was a Liberal, and during the elections of 1892 and 1895 he acted as sub-agent for Lord Rendel and Mr Humphreys-Owen, M.P. Mr Morgan was a Commissioner of Taxes, held the office of clerk to the Managers of the Llanidloes Intermediate School, and was Registrar of Births and Deaths, and vaccination officer for the district of Llanidloes. He was a faithful member of the English Presbyterian Church, Llanidloes, and in addition to being a superintendent of the Sunday School, he had for several years been one of the teachers. His amiable disposition had endeared him to a large circle of friends, and his untimely death will be greatly deplored. The remains were interred in the Newtown Cemetery on Friday, and the funeral was one of the largest seen in Newtown for many years. The Late Mr. R. l. Evans of Wrexham. On Friday evening, the alarming and saddening nows was brought to Wrexham that one of its most popular citizens had died suddenly near Rossett, in the person of Mr Richard William Evans, of Egerton Lodge. Mr Evans had lately taken to cycling, and on Friday afternoon he left Wrexham for Holt on his machine, accompanied by Mr Charles Griffiths, of Charles-street, Wrexham. The five miles to Holt were safely traversed, and from there they began the ride to Rossett, with the intention, it is stated, of catching a train, and so getting back to Wrexham. Mr Evans complained several times of being tired, and on each occasion Mr Griffiths suggested a rest, which was acted upon. As they were nearing the Griffin Inn, Trevalyn, Mr Evans suddenly fell head foremost over his machine, his face striking the ground, and his feet catching in and suspending his legs from the handle bar. Mr Griffiths dismounted, and ran to his assistance, and a doctor was summoned, but life was pronounced to be Griffin extinct. The body was removed to the Inn, and afterwards to Wrexham. The members of the Wrexham Borough Band had met in the evening for a social gathering at the Feathers Hotel, but on the reception of the news-Mr Evans being a very warm supporter of the Band they at once adjourned. Mr Evans was elected Mayor of the borough in 1892, and his Mayoralty was a most popular one. He was an Alderman for six years, and retired from that post last November, when he decided to give up public life. He was born and bred in the town, and took particular interest in everything which appertained to its welfare. The Fire Brigade found in him an openhanded supporter, and for years he was a member of that excellent organisation, and retired as a lieutenant. His gifts to the Brigade were many, and amongst them were the admirable doors to the engine house, which are constructed on such a principle that they can be opened wide enough in a few seconds, to permit of the engine and four horses driving out. He took especial pride in the famous Wrexham church bells, which are noted for their tone. He assisted to ring them for years, while he was also a noted performer on the handbells, giving his services most freely at concerts, &c. One of his most recent acts was to provide a programme for a concert at Holt-no district was outside his ready help-and he and his eldest son took part in it. He was a wine and spirit merchant, and carried on a large business in Chester-street. He was a Conservative and a Churchman. Mrs Evans died last July, deeply regretted, and much sympathy is felt for the young children-three girls and a boy.-No inquest was held. The funeral took place yesterday in the Borough Cemetery, Wrexham, and was very largely attended. MAY 6, 1896. NOTES. OWL SUPERSTITION.-An owl makes its nest in the tree at the back of Pontfadog School from year to year, and rears up its young ones. This year, unfortunately, the mother-bird was shot before the young ones were ready to leave the nest. My wife, taking compassion on the owlets, had them removed to our house; meeting a neighbour she informed him of her action, whereupon he stated that he would on no account take an owlet into his house. assigned the loss of hundreds of pounds in business to the death of a young one in his house. W.A.D. He THE EXTRACTS FROM MALLWYD PARISH REGISTER (April 8, 1896).-Every antiquary must feel very grateful to your able correspondent "C.A." for his valuable contributions to BYE-GONES; for nothing can be more serviceable and interesting than a list of the freeholders of the last two centuries. With regard to this particular Parish Register, there is no doubt that similar Registers existed in all parishes in North Wales, and it is a great pity that they have not been brought to light. In Sir John |