gives a different form, the variation which results
is as much a gloss of the tongue wherein it occurs, as if the word were
indigenous. Hence, whether we say that _pen val_ are Pict glosses, or
that _pen_ is a Pict _gloss_, and _val_ a Pict _form_ is a matter of
practical indifference.

The _Vallum Antonini_ was a work of man's hands, and its name is of less
value than those of natural objects, such as _mountains_, _rivers_, or
_lakes_. Nevertheless, these latter have been examined: thus the _Ochel_
Hills in Perthshire are better explained by the Welsh form _uchel_ than
by the Gaelic _nasal_. But the most important word of all is the first
element of the words _Aber_-nethy, and _Inver_-nethy. Both mean the
same, _i.e._, the _confluence of waters_, or something very much of the
sort. Both enter freely into composition, and the compounds thus formed
are found over the greater part of the British Isles as the names of the
mouths of the larger and more important rivers. But it is only a few
districts where the two names occur together. Just as we expect _a
priori_ _aber_ occurs when _inver_ is not to be found, and _vice versa_.
Of the two extremes Ireland is the area where _aber_, Wales where
_inver_ is the rarer of the two forms; indeed so rare are they that the
one (_aber_) rarely, if ever, occurs in Ireland, the other (_inver_)
rarely, if ever, in Wales. Now as Ireland is Gaelic, and Welsh British,
the two words may fairly be considered to indicate, where they occur,
the presence of these two different tongues respectively.

The distribution of the words in question has long been an instrument of
criticism in determining both the ethnological position of the Pict
nation, and its territorial extent; and the details are well given in
the following table of Mr. Kemble's:

"If we now take a good map of England and Wales and Scotland, we
shall find the following data:--

"In Wales:

"Aber-ayon, lat. 51 deg. 37' N., long. 3 deg. 46' W.
Aber-afon, lat. 51 deg. 37' N.
Abergavenny, lat. 51 deg. 49' N., long. 3 deg. 0' W.
Abergwilli, lat. 51 deg. 51' N., long. 4 deg. 16' W.
Aberystwith, lat. 52 deg. 24' N., long. 4 deg. 6' W.
Aberfraw, lat. 53 deg. 12' N., long. 4 deg. 30' W.
Abergee, lat. 53 deg. 17' N., long. 3 deg. 17' W.

"In Scotland:

"Aberlady, lat. 56 deg. 1' N., long. 2 deg. 52' W.
Aberdour, lat. 56 deg. 4' N., long. 3 deg. 16' W.
Aberfo