XViii. The Birds of Pembrokeshire. 
atmosphere, and worn back by the ceaseless beating of the ocean 
waves, so as to form the picturesque bay which now commands our 
admiration. The same influences account for the multitude of 
beautiful islands that stud the coast. We propose to treat of the 
chief of them in some detail further on. Pembrokeshire possesses 
numerous streams wherein trout are abundant, and also sewin (salmo 
cambricus), the latter being known only within the borders of the 
United Kingdom, in the streams and rivers of Wales, Devonshire, 
Cornwall, and Ireland. It is exceedingly well watered, also, by 
numerous springs, but it is without any important river. The 
Eastern Cleddau and the Western Cleddau, uniting at Landshipping, 
broaden out into the noble estuary of Milford Haven, and alone are 
entitled to the name of river, while the Nevern, and Gwaen, in the 
north of the county, each flowing through a beautiful, wooded valley 
to the sea, are well known for the excellent sport they afford the fly 
fisher, and are the only other streams of sufficient importance for 
mention. The climate of Pembrokeshire is, as may naturally be 
expected, mild and humid, when it is stated that the prevalent 
winds are from the south-westward, and right over the sea where the 
Gulf Stream flows. The rainfall, too, is sometimes excessive. We 
are informed by a writer of authority that the annual rainfall of the 
county varies from about 31 to 4o inches, and may be averaged at 
about 36 inches. These figures are possibly quite correct if the obser- 
vations of a long series of years be taken. We have, however, for 
the sake of comparison, taken the daily records of measurements of 
rainfall in ten different parts of the county for the comparatively 
short period of ten years; that is, from 1881 to 1890 inclusive, and 
we find the annual average of these ten years to be 43 inches, the 
highest annual average, 59 inches, occurring in 1882, and the lowest, 
30 inches, in 1887. But in spite of these drawbacks the air, a de- 
lightful compound of sea and mountain breezes, is fairly bracing, and 
in fine weather the skies appear to be bluer than they are in England. 
The surface of the county is diversified by hill and dale, and the 
soil varies in quality according to its locality. The anthracite coal 
measures extend from St. Bride’s Bay due eastward to Carmarthen 
Bay, and seem to divide the county into two unequal parts, differing 
