Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 4 (1900).djvu/535

Rh Tudwal's Island (in April), where I saw empty nests; but about fifteen birds, old and young, sat about the rocks. Some of the former were magnificent birds. A small double-headed point near Afon Wen is the resort of Cormorants. The smaller (west) point and a partly detached rock were slightly "washed"; but on the east rocks, when I came in sight of them, sat nineteen old and young birds. The upper parts of the rocks were strewn with fish-bones and bits of crustaceans, and the hollows were thick with wash, the stench being appalling. Possibly the birds nest on the lower rocks, which I could not see, the upper parts overhanging. I saw a few Shags on various parts of the coast; they breed on St. Tudwal's. A few fine old birds in shining green dress sat peering out from the ledges in the little caves, and were unwilling to move. Wild Ducks seemed fairly numerous about the sluggish parts of Afon Penrhós and Afon Rhyd Hir, and in the marshes.

Adult Black-headed Gulls in full summer dress were not uncommon on the sands, and their laughing cry was sometimes heard, but I saw only two or three immature birds (not young of the year). I know of no breeding place anywhere near here. None breed at Mochras Island now, if they ever did. There is a colony in Merionethshire, forty miles away. It is difficult to say what adult birds were doing here in June. Herring-Gulls breed in small numbers on various parts of the coast. The mobbing cry of this bird, as the birds fly straight at you, rising with a curve as they pass over, rather high up, sounds like "ag-cag" or "ag-cag-cag"; it is not nearly so pleasant a sound as the ordinary "akow" or "kow-wow." Some Gulls breeding on a little island called Gull Island (Ynys Gwylan) are probably, partly at all events, of this species. A nest on one of the islands was on a broad ledge, close to the rock face, and not far above sea-level. It was a large thick-walled, cup-shaped nest, made of grass-roots and dead grass, with a few odd feathers worked in; it contained only one egg. I only saw the Lesser Black-backed Gull twice, but it is said to breed on one of the islands. Mr. Coward saw them at one of the southern headlands, and plentifully on the north coast. One pair of the Great Black-backed Gull is said to have bred on one of the islands; indeed, I have seen an egg which was taken on Mercrosse two or three years ago. I saw an