WITH THE BIRDS IN WALES 169 



here were two broods of Coot, just hatched, swimming 

 about in company with their parents ; and in searching 

 some reeds I found an unfinished Reed Bunting's 

 nest as well as some mock nests belonging to a 

 Moorhen. I may say that I saw no Dabchick or 

 nests of that species either, which struck me as 

 being rather odd. 



Alay 2isi. — Went off for L. wood, and on its out- 

 skirts found a Pied Flycatcher's nest in a Great 

 Spotted Woodpecker's old nest-hole. One of these 

 latter birds, too, was on the move, uttering its 

 single " chank " of alarm, and as there was 

 another hole underneath the one tenanted by the 

 Flycatchers, I thought that it might possibly be 

 its nest, though it was an old one ; but then I have 

 known all three sorts of British Woodpeckers use 

 the same hole two years in succession. The other 

 Pied Flycatcher's nest m the contorted tree here has 

 been thoroughly looted by something — pulled out 

 and ruthlessly destroyed. I heard the Buzzards 

 somewhere ; but did not see them. The Herons 

 were in a flourishing state, and are by this mostly 

 hatched. 



Set out over R. hill, and sitting on the brow, 

 from which a perfectly charming view of the river 

 and opposite mountains is obtained, had a capital 

 sight of the male Sparrow-hawk as he dashed by, 

 hotly pursued by an angry Missel Thrush. Walking 

 across the hill, flushed a Meadow Pipit from her 

 five eggs, and I am certain that I was close to a 

 Curlew's nest, but could not find it. In the morass, 

 where I saw the " bunch " of Golden Plover some three 



