Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/104

78 in Cwm Dyli, on the flanks of Snowdon, and during an ascent of that mountain I noticed a Fox crossing the ridge of Crib-y-Ddysgyl just below the summit.

At Aberystwyth, on Oct. 4th, a Stonechat sang a few strains at dusk; I had not previously known this species as an autumn songster. On the 15th Mr. Hutchings showed me a Spotted Crake just set up. In November Bramblings appeared under the beech trees. They seem to visit us biennially, missing the alternate years when there is no beech-mast. On Nov. 12th I received a Polecat from Nanteos.

The rest of my notes refer to the past year.

On Jan. 18th Mr. Hutchings showed me an immature specimen of the Little Gull. It was obtained during rough weather about nine days previously. A few bright warm days about Feb. 20th brought the Stonechats into song. On the 28th I received a very large male Polecat from the same locality as the previous one.

Upon March 1st, St. David's Day, visiting a nesting site of the Raven upon the coast about six miles south of this town, I found, as the glass showed, that the birds had refitted their old nest, which already contained an egg or eggs. About this date Curlew were constantly on the move, passing inland to their breeding quarters; they were to be heard at all hours of the day and night. On March 11th Herons were already sitting. A small party of Lesser Redpolls in alders at Llanilar were, with one exception, the first that I have met with in this county. On March 28th a Raven's nest in the Nant Berwyn, near Tregaron, contained three incubated eggs. The birds were furious, and came within ten yards of us, the cock tearing up soil and grass with his bill. Two days later I saw four Wood Larks on the wing at Llanbadarn. About two hundred and fifty Golden Plover were resting on the sands at the mouth of the Dovey on April 19th. On the 23rd a Wheatear was singing well at 11.45 p.m., a fair moonlight night. On April 26th, and again three days later, I heard the note of the Nuthatch in Cwm Woods. I have never previously identified this bird at Aberystwyth, though always on the look-out for it during the past eight years. A Pied Flycatcher was singing amongst the oaks at Nanteos on May 7th.

Birds were never in better voice than during the first half of