Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/527

Rh the Greater and the Blue, both fairly common. The Wren is remarkably abundant. The Tree-Creeper I saw once at Bodegroes. I saw no Red-backed Shrikes, but Mr. Coward found a pair breeding near Llanbedrog in June, 1887; a very interesting occurrence. The Spotted Flycatcher is fairly common; I saw it in five localities on or near the south coast. But the Pied Flycatcher was looked for in vain. The Swallow is, I think, only fairly numerous, and the House-Martin rare. I saw one as far west as a pond between the village of Aberdaron and Braich y Pwll. The Sand-Martin is quite common, haunting the seacoast so much as to make the name of "Shore Bird," bestowed upon it by some early writers, seem natural and appropriate. There are colonies of Sand-Martins in the sand-cliffs near Llanbedrog, and the wasting earthy cliffs of Porth Nigel (Hell's Mouth). The Greenfinch and Linnet exist in fair numbers. I watched a pair of Goldfinches feeding their young in a nest built in an old plum-tree in a garden hedge at Efail-newydd, and saw a pair at Llanbedrog, and other birds at Pwllheli. Mr. Coward has seen a few at Abersoch, so it is probably not uncommon. The House-Sparrow would not seem numerous to anyone coming from a wheat-growing country, there being too little corn for it; but it long ago extended its range into the utmost limits of Lleyn. The Rev. W. Bingley, who travelled in Carnarvonshire in 1798, was told of Bardsey Isle:—"Till about four years ago no Sparrows had been known to breed here; three nests were, however, built during the same spring, and the produce has since completely colonized the place." The Chaffinch is common, and Mr. Coward adds the Bullfinch to my list. He has also seen a caged Lesser Redpoll, caught near Nevin in the winter. When I was on Yr Eifl, I noticed one or two birds which I thought were Twites from their notes; but I could not identify the birds making the note, as they were very wild. Mr. Coward, however, saw "flocks on 'The Rivals' and Carn Madryn" (in late summer); I could see no Twites about the latter mountain (in June).

To rear black cattle, tall white Pigs, and many grey Geese, with some useful low Horses, and a certain number of Sheep on the hills, is the occupation of the Lleyn farmer, rather than corn growing; but many of the small fields right up to the foot of