Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/102

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following notes, referring to the past two years, are in continuation of those which appeared in 'The Zoologist' (1898, pp. 198-201):—

A Cirl Bunting was singing upon Jan. 8th, 1898. This species with us appears to sing much more freely in winter than the Yellowhammer does. A visit paid to a small Heronry upon March 28th showed that these birds vie with the Raven in the matter of early breeding. In one nest young birds were calling loudly. There were egg-shells under two other nests, while a fourth contained three small young ones, and an egg which was hatching. On April 7th the young birds of the first mentioned brood were flying from tree to tree. At Craig-y-Pistyll, on March 28th, a pair of Ravens had a nest with five fresh eggs. It was found with difficulty, being inconspicuous amongst the heather and brambles which grew from the ledges of the crag.

While staying at Abergwesyn, in the extreme west of Breconshire, I noticed with interest the Nuthatch upon the trees—almost the last in this direction—close to the hotel. It does not cross the mountains, and hence only occurs very exceptionally upon their western or Cardiganshire side.

On April 9th I visited one of the few remaining breeding haunts of the Kite, an oak wood covering the slopes of a rocky hill. The pair of birds soon appeared, and, as they soared, showed their graceful flight to perfection. In turning, one or the other would often "throw over" almost on to its back against the stiff breeze. The nest, about thirty feet from the ground in an oak, being a new one, was small as compared with the size attained when utilized year after year. It contained two eggs, indicating that in this district the Kite breeds about a fortnight earlier than the Buzzard. A very large nest, from which, to my knowledge, Kites' eggs were taken in 1893, proved to be grass-