WITH THE BIRDS IX WALES 87 



last year. We came out at the top of P. wood and 

 cut across the moors, disturbing a few Red Grouse. 

 Eventually we reached the B. road, taking en route a 

 small wood where the Tawny Owl breeds regularly. 

 On examination the tree proved to be empty, but 

 afterwards I heard that three eggs were laid there. 



March \"jth. Left the inn on a day as warm as 

 June about nine o'clock, with full kit of ropes, crow- 

 bar, camera, &c., for the dingle where we had found 

 the Raven's nest with two eggs on March I4th. Just 

 before we reached the Raven's nest we were gladdened 

 by seeing three Wheatears, probably males,, the first 

 harbingers of spring. When about one hundred and 

 fifty yards from the gorge both Ravens flew out croak- 

 ing. Shortly after this we started operations. We 

 found that it was perfectly impossible to drive the 

 crowbar in sufficiently at the top of the cliff owing 

 to the solid bed of rock and a treacherous covering of 

 moss, and at first blush it almost appeared as if we 

 were going to be foiled in our attempt, but eventually 

 with some difficulty I succeeded in climbing to a birch 

 growing some eight or ten feet above the eyrie. Then 

 I hauled up Pike and his camera to depict the nest, 

 and he took six photos of the eggs, being the while in 

 an exceedingly difficult position. When I had lowered 

 him I climbed down the ropes myself to the valley, 

 some seventy or eighty feet below, Pike photoing me 

 en route, and then I lowered Pike down from a different 

 position, and he pictured the nest twice. There were 

 still only two eggs, so either the Carrion Crows had 

 been busy, which I doubt though they will certainly 

 plunder a Buzzard's nest or else the inclemency of 



