WITH THE BIRDS IN WALES 201 



the Bottle Tit's nest by the river : some of the eggs 

 are broken. This morning a pair of House Sparrows 

 made a determined onslaught on the Martins under 

 my eaves, and in the evening I found that the former 

 had taken possession. 



June 9//z. Started once more for the Golden 

 Plover's haunt. On the way, whilst jumping a small 

 stream, I flushed a bird from her nest in the rocky 

 bank, which proved on closer examination to be a 

 Rock Pipit. I make this statement with all confidence, 

 for I had a close view of both birds, and they had the 

 outermost tail-feathers edged with smoky brown, a 

 sure characteristic of this species. Further, I heard 

 the male's song. I know that this statement will be 

 questioned by most present-day ornithologists, but 

 others have seen Pipits on the Welsh hills which 

 they thought at first were Water Pipits, but after- 

 wards came to the conclusion were Rock Pipits. 

 I myself have seen Pipits from time to time on 

 these hills, which puzzled me not a little, but I think 

 that the mystery is now explained. The eggs in 

 this nest, five in number, were considerably larger 

 than Tree Pipits, and were of a brownish white 

 ground colour, freckled, streaked, and marbled with 

 several shades of reddish olive, some of the darker 

 streaks being almost black. 



In the Plover's haunt I again flushed a couple of 

 cock Grouse, but could not find their hens or the 

 Plover's nest. By this time these latter birds must 

 be sitting very hard indeed, they may have young, 

 judging from their actions. 



Coming back through some thickish heather, a 



