sure, but he does not say how he stands in the Pantheon. Cuchulain he finds to be the counterpart of Heracles in descent and character. A remarkable feature of the Pantheon is the number of triads-three gods joined together-which appear. These are the three last kings of the Tuatha, the three sons of Danann, the three Fomorian chiefs, and so on; while Gaul presents Lucan's triad of gods, and Wales abounds in all sorts of triads. The authors to whom I am most indebted are Mr Elton ("Origins of English History") and Professor Rhys ("Celtic Britain" and in Academy.) I mention also Mr Fitzgerald's article on the "Ancient Irish" in Fraser's Magazine for 1875, and his articles in the Revue Celtique. The materials-tales and myths are chiefly from Guest's "Mabinogion," Skene's "Ancient Books of Wales," Joyce's "Celtic Romances," Kennedy's various books, O'Curry's Lectures, the Revue Celtique, Campbell's Popular Tales," and editions like Windisch's "Irische Texte." Inverness, October 1885. ERRATA. MISPRINTS. Page 16, line 34-For "mythoporic," read "mythopoeic." 23-For "push," read "pushed." 7-Read "Celtic-speaking." 27-Delete"S." 3-For "it," read "in." 2 of poetry-Read branches', and delete comma. 20 of poetry-For "looped," read "lopped." 8-For "masters," read "master." 13-Insert "his" before "history." II-For "Granna," read "Granua." CORRECTIONS. Page 17, line 33-Delete reference to "Dagda." == 33, 56, 1-Delete "Greek, helios." 13-Delete "Vata, the Gaelic gaoth." "Aegean." 66 Aigean" is oceanus borrowed. 17-For "five," read "fifteen." 22-For "Mabinogion," read "Mabinogi." So, too, at page 83, line 21. 27-Delete "Frecart." 66 90, " 5 from bottom-Insert Mercury and" before "Taranis." CELTIC MYTHOLOGY. THE field of Mythology, strictly defined, embraces the fabulous events believed in by a nation and the religious doctrines implied in these. But the term is for convenience' sake extended so as to include the kindred subject of folk-lore. Now folk-lore includes all those popular stories of which the fairy tales of our nursery are a good illustration, and where the religious element implied in Mythology is absent. The term Celtic Mythology, in these papers, is understood, therefore, to include the popular traditions and legendary tales of the Celts, the fabulous actions and exploits of their heroes and deities, the traditions of their early migrations, their fairy tales, and the popular beliefs in regard to the supernatural world. The scope of the discussion will include an introductory section or two on the general principles of Mythology—its cause and spread, and the connection of the Mythology of the Celts with those of the kindred nations of Europe and Asia. CHARACTER OF MYTH. "There was once a farmer, and he had three daughters. They were washing clothes at a river. A hoodie crow came round, and he said to the eldest one, "M-pos-u-mi-Will you marry me-farmer's daughter?' 'I won't, indeed, you ugly said she. He came to the brute; an ugly brute is a hoodie,' second one on the morrow, and he said to her, "M-pos-u-miWilt thou wed me?' 'Not I, indeed,' said she; 'an ugly brute is a hoodie.' The third day he said to the youngest, "M-pos-u-mi -Wilt thou wed me-farmer's daughter?' 'I will wed thee,' said she; 'a pretty creature is the hoodie.' And on the morrow they married. "The hoodie said to her, 'Whether wouldst thou rather that I should be a hoodie by day and a man at night; or be a hoodie at night and a man by day?' 'I would rather that thou wert a man by day and a hoodie at night,' says she. After this he was a splendid fellow by day and a hoodie at night. A few days after he got married he took her to his own house. "At the birth of the first child, there came at night the very finest music that ever was heard about the house. Every one slept, and the child was taken away. Her father came to the door in the morning, and he was both sorrowful and wrathful that the child was taken away. "The same thing, despite their watching, happened at the birth of the second child: music-sleep—and stealing of the child. The same thing happened, too, at the birth of the third child, but on the morning of the next day they went to another house that they had, himself and his wife and his sisters-in-law. He said to them by the way, 'See that you have not forgotten something.' The wife said, 'I forgot my coarse comb.' The coach in which they were fell a withered faggot, and he flew away as a hoodie! "Her two sisters returned, and she followed after him. When he would be on a hill-top, she would follow to try and catch him; and when she would reach the top of a hill, he would be in the hollow on the other side. When night came, and she was tired, she had no place of rest or dwelling. She saw a little house of light far from her, and though far from her, she was not long in reaching it. "When she reached the house she stood deserted at the door. She saw a little laddie about the house, and she yearned after him exceedingly. The house-wife told her to come in, that she knew her cheer and travel. She lay down, and no sooner did the day come than she rose. She went out, and as she was going from hill to hill, saw a hoodie, whom she followed as on the day before. She came to a second house; saw a second laddie; pursued the hoodie on a third day, and arrived at night at a third house. Here she was told she must not sleep, but be clever and catch the hoodie when he would visit her during night. But she slept; he came where she was, and let fall a ring on her right hand. Now, when she woke, she tried to catch hold of him, and she caught a feather of his wing. He left the feather with her, |