136 THE BIRDS OF BRECONSHIRE. 
breadth of wing and snowy plumage ren- 
ders it most conspicuous. I often see the 
Gulls flying up the Usk past my window 
and sometimes settling on the Rock Pool. 
Their presence generally denotes stormy 
weather at sea, although I must be fully 
35 miles from the nearest sea coast. 
Williams gives the Welsh for Gull as 
Gwylan or Wylan and quotes :— 
“FE wnaeth y fran ei whyth fry 
A’r wylan ar ei wely.”’ 
Sion Dafydd. 
HERRING GULL, Larus argentatus. 
I have seen it here but very seldom. I 
remember fishing in the Wye, at Erwood, 
late one beautiful summer evening, when 
a very large Herring Gull flew slowly up 
the river and passed close over my head. 
When exactly above me he turned his 
head on one side, without deviating in 
the least from his course, gave me a 
look, as much as to say, ‘‘ Only a harm- 
less brother angler,’ and passed on his 
way without the slightest apparent con- 
cern. Welsh, Gwylan ysgadan. 
LESSER BLACK BACKED GULL. 
Larus fuscus. 
This bird occurs regularly every spring 
