a county of Wales, bounded on the north by the Severn sea or St George's channel, Cardiganshire on the south, the shires of Brecknock and Glamorgan on the east, and Pembroke-shire on the west. Its greatest length is between 30 and 40 miles, and its breadth upwards of 20, and it contained 77,217 inhabitants in 1811. The soil is less rocky and mountainous than most other parts of Wales, and consequently is proportionally more fertile both in corn and pasture. It has also plenty of wood, coal, and limestone. The most considerable rivers are the Towey, the Cothy, and the Tave; of which, the first abounds with excellent salmon. The principal towns are Caermarthen the capital, Kidwely, Llanidlovery, &c. This county abounds with ancient forts, camps, and tumuli or barrows. Near to Caermarthen, towards the east, may be seen the ruins of Kastelk Karrey, which was situated on a steep and inaccessible rock; and also several vast caverns, supposed to have been copper mines of the Romans. Near this spot is a fountain which ebbs and flows twice in 24 hours like the sea. See CAERMARTHENSHIRE, Supplement.

CAERNARVONSHIRE, a county of Wales, bounded on the north and west by the sea, on the south by Merionethshire, and on the east divided from Denbighshire by the river Conway. It is about 40 miles in length, and 20 in breadth; and sends one member to parliament for the shire, and another for the borough of Caernarvon. The air is very piercing; owing partly to the snow, that lies seven or eight months of the year upon some of the mountains, which are so high that they are called the British Alps, and partly to the great number of lakes, which are said not to be fewer than 50 or 60. The soil in the valleys on the side next Ireland is pretty fertile, especially in barley; great numbers of black cattle, sheep, and goats, are fed on the mountains. The population in 1811 was 49,336. The highest mountains in the county are those called Snowdon hills, and Pen-y-mawr, which last hangs over the sea. There is a road cut out of the rock on the side next the sea, guarded by a wall running along the edge of it on that side; but the traveller is sometimes in danger of being crushed by the fall of pieces of the rock from the precipices above. The river Conway, though its course from the lake out of which it issues to its mouth is only 12 miles, yet is so deep, in consequence of the many brooks it receives, that it is navigable by ships of good burden for eight miles. Pearls are found in large black muscles taken in this river. The principal towns are Bangor, Caernarvon the capital, and Conway. In this county is an ancient road said to have been made by Helena the mother of Constantine the Great: and Matthew of Westminster asserts, that the body of Constantius, father of Constantine, was found at Caernarvon in the year 1283, and interred in the parish church by order of Edward I. See CAERNARVONSHIRE, Supplement.