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 

 year, 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 1 2th. 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 



