100 BIRD LIFE IN WILD WALES 



years, they have been regularly robbed there. This 

 pair of Kites always have great battles with a couple 

 of Ravens which breed in the same glen. One 

 year, indeed, the Ravens drove them away. Oddly 

 enough, neither of these birds are breeding there this 

 }'ear, but one Kite was seen two months ago, and has 

 not been seen since. There is a Brown Owl's nest 

 somewhere on the land adjoining my cottage under 

 the hill, as I constantly see one hunting in the even- 

 ing. This is probably the male, procuring food for 

 his incubating partner. 



April i2//A~Start with Mr. G. V. for the Heron 

 wood, to find, if possible, the Buzzard's nest. Leaving 

 our bicycles at a convenient cottage, where we noticed 

 a Blackbird's nest in a laurel-bush, we soon got down 

 to the wood where I first saw the Buzzards on the 

 8th instant, and began a systematic search for their 

 eyrie ; G. V. and I taking different routes. Even- 

 tually we met, having found nothing. A little later 

 I climbed up to a couple of Crows' nests ; one was 

 an old one, but it had been lined with a few fresh 

 twigs. This, perhaps, was the work of a Ring or 

 Stock Dove, for both these pigeons will utilise an old 

 nest on occasions, though generally the Stock Dove 

 lays in a hole of some sort, whilst every lover of the 

 country knows the Ring Dove's fragile wicker-work 

 nest. The other contained five fresh eggs, and was 

 rather an awkward nest to get, built as it was at the 

 end of a projecting limb. It struck us as being an 

 early date for a full clutch of Carrion Crow's eggs, 

 considering the altitude, inclemency of the weather, 

 and the fact that this species is not a particularly 



