1889-90.] Stray Notes on the Birds of Anglesea. 361 



high, straggling-lookuag, ill-kept hedges, that added, neverthe- 

 less, to the picturesqueness of the landscape ; and, after turn- 

 ing and twisting in most unexpected fashion, brought us in 

 sight of a small sheet of water, on the edge of which stood the 

 house which was to be our home for the next few days. The 

 house itself was most peculiar, being enclosed at the side next 

 the road with a high whitewashed wall, and blocked up also by 

 the outer portions of another smaller building, which proved to 

 be the dairy. The door, unlike most other houses, did not open 

 into a passage, but led into the kitchen direct ; and in order to 

 reach the upper storey, it was necessary to climb a steep trap- 

 like stair that required rather skilful navigation and some 

 little practice to ascend or descend in safety : in fact, while 

 performing the latter operation, if great care was not exercised, 

 an individual would find his head come in contact with the hard 

 brick-floor of the kitchen before he was aware that his feet 

 • had left the upper landing. It is no part of the present pur- 

 pose, however, to occupy time with further description of the 

 house, or any lengthened account of the scenery of the island, 

 as the latter will be briefly touched upon here and there while 

 referring to the various species of birds to which your atten- 

 tion is to be drawn. 



Numerous coots and moor -hens frequented the pond; 

 and towards evening the snipe flew round and round so 

 high in the air as to be undiscernible in the dim light, 

 the only guide to his presence being the strange booming 

 sound that he makes with apparent satisfaction to himself, 

 and no doubt also to his mate sitting upon her eggs amongst 

 the marshy ground beneath. Although there is" not much 

 music in this performance, it has by no means an unpleas- 

 ant effect, particularly upon a calm still night, ere the last 

 lingering touches of the sun's rays have ceased to illumine 

 the surface of the water, and darkness has taken the place 

 of the uncertain twilight. At such a time, whether from a 

 predisposition to take heed to any noise, or from the fact that, 

 most animals and birds having retired for the night, the fewer 

 sounds emitted attract our attention in a greater degree by 

 reason of their scarcity, certain it is that birds' notes in par- 

 ticular seem to be carried to much greater distances than 



VOL. II. 2 B 



