WITH THE BIRDS IN WALES 127 



hawks mean to nest in the big larch plantation 

 after all ; anyway I can find no fresh nest there, 

 and this evening I had a very comprehensive 

 search. 



April 2,0th. — In search of a Curlew's nest ; at first 

 we found nothing — indeed, we did not even see a 

 Curlew — but^ presently I sighted one flying along a 

 field about a quarter of a mile off, and from the way 

 it flew I thought it just possible that there might be 

 a nest there ; nor was I wrong, for after I had crossed 

 the line and entered the field the hen Curlew got up 

 at once, and as there were only one or two patches 

 of rough grass in this enclosure, such as Curlews love, 

 the task of finding the nest was not a difficult one. 

 It contained four eggs of the usual type. Just after 

 this I climbed up to a Magpie's old nest in a s}xamore. 

 This nest had got flattened out considerably, and in 

 the distance looked uncommonly like a Heron's. 



Then we visited the old church at D., which is now 

 disused, except by the Jackdaws and Starlings. We 

 found several nests of the former species, two of 

 which were built in dark parts of the spiral staircase 

 leading to the belfry, and these were enormous piles 

 of sticks. Four nests which we examined contained 

 respectively three, five, four, and three eggs, all of the 

 ordinary type. None of the Starlings had laid as 

 yet. This old belfry ought to be tenanted by a pair 

 of Barn or White Owls, but they are exceedingly rare 

 just round here, and the fact of this disused church 

 being without them is proof sufficient of it. In a 

 field across the river I. we noticed a good number of 

 Curlews, but did not trouble about them. Coming 



