14 BRITISH BIRDS. 



Denbighshire and Flintshire. — Mr. H. E. Forrest's 

 collected notes and observations in his Fauna of North Wales, 

 show that the Nightingale is certainly a visitor at irregular 

 intervals to the southern part of FHntshire, and the outlying 

 portion, as well as on the eastern border of Denbighshire, where 

 it marches with that of Flintshire. In the outlying part of 

 Flint, Mr. Forrest quotes records from the borders near 

 Ellesmere, Malpas, and Penlly, while it occurred at Overton in 

 1902 and 1905. In east Denbighshire it has frequently occurred 

 near Wrexham, and also at Gresford, Rossett, and the Nant-y- 

 ffrith Woods, while in FHntshire it has been recorded from 

 Colomondy, Mold, Gredington, and Holywell. 



Shropshire. — Mr. H. E. Forrest's researches have shown 

 that the Nightingale occurs regularly in the south of the county, 

 mainly along the Severn Valley, between Bewdley and Build- 

 was, specially affecting the neighbourhood of Bridgnorth, 

 Linley, and Broseley. Beyond these limits it is of very 

 irregular occurrence, but in some seasons extends its range 

 northward to Shrewsbury or a few miles beyond, but still 

 keeps chiefly to the Severn Valley. The Umits of its range, 

 however, as well as its numbers, fluctuate considerably from 

 year to year. In 1902 at least six pairs nested close to Shrews- 

 bury, while in 1909 Mr. Forrest only knew of one pair which 

 reared their young, though one or two more were reported. 

 As a rule they keep to the valley, and on both sides it is 

 extremely rare to find them at any distance from the river. 

 The elevated plain which occupies the northern part of the 

 county and extends into Cheshire and Staffordshire, is also 

 avoided, as a rule. There are, however, a few records of birds 

 observed here : thus a pair was recorded from Hadnall in 

 1900, a nest was found at Grinshill, and a pair noticed 

 at the Clive in 1902, while in 1905 others were reported from 

 Wem. On the west side it has been met with at least three 

 times at Kinnerley, on the Welsh border, and on the east side, 

 in 1908, about ten miles from Wolverhampton [Zool., 1909, 

 p. 74) ; w^hile two pairs nested two miles nearer Wolver- 

 hampton in 1907 and 1909 (A. H. Duncalfe). In the southern 

 part of the county a pair or two apparently find their way up 

 the Teme valley, as Mr. 0. R. Owen records a pair having 

 reared young at Ludlow in 1906, and Mr. Forrest mentions 

 another pair at Onibury in 1905. 



Staffordshire. — At first sight, judging from its geographi- 

 cal position, one might expect the Nightingale to be a regular 

 and widely distributed summer- visitor to Staffordshire ; but 

 a study of the contours of the county reveals the fact that 



