276 BRITISH BIRDS. 



In Denbighshire I have found it also near Abergele, at 

 Llanfair Talhairan, Llanclulas, Nantglyn and Deunant-isaf 

 near Llansannan. In Flintshire it occurs in some numbers 

 all along- the valley lying between Mold and Bodfari, also 

 near Llanferres, and in the country east of Moel Famma, 

 at Tremeirchion, and at the foot of Hope Mountain. 



In Carnarvonshire Mr. O. V. Aplin heard two singing 

 at Llanbedrog in Lleyn, in 1899. This is, I believe, the 

 most westerly record for North Wales. Since then I 

 have found it near the Little Orme, at Llangwstenin, 

 Penrhyn, Pabo, near Colwyn Bay, and also up the Conway 

 Valley. 



I have hitherto failed to find this sj)ecies in Anglesey, 

 though I have on many occasions been on the look-out for 

 it. 



In Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire it appears to 

 be, so far, very scarce, a very curious fact if this be so ; 

 but personally I know little of these counties. 



In some parts the Cirl Bunting might be described as 

 common ; for instance, at Llandulas in Denbighshire, I 

 have heard as many as nine singing in a comparatively 

 small area. It is highly probable that the bird occurs in 

 many other localities, other than herein named, through- 

 out North Wales ; how far it is resident in the Principality 

 is at present a matter for conjecture. As my personal 

 observations have, so far, been chiefly confined to the 

 breeding season, I have had few opportunities of forming 

 any opinion as to its winter distribution. There seems 

 no doubt, however, that the bird is partly migratory, 

 especially in severe weather. A few winters ago I saw a 

 small flock within the Cheshire boundary, a county where 

 it is as yet unknown as a resident (Zoologist, 1906, p. 71). 

 The increase of this species is doubtless due to a succession 

 of mild winters, for of all the Buntings it is the least 

 capable of withstanding extreme cold. 



The Cirl Bunting in its choice of locality shows a 

 decided preference for limestone districts, and seems to 

 avoid heavy, damp, or clay soil. Rough hill sides, 



