WITH THE BIRDS IN WALES 209 



which was robbed last year, for it was dug out. 

 The ancient mass of fish-bones, crusted with age, was 

 as large as a good-sized plate. On the way to the 

 C. hills I was shown two Spotted Flycatchers' nests, 

 one built on the remnants of an old Thrush's nest, 

 the other among some roots protruding from a bank 

 on the confines of a quarry. It is not unusual for 

 this Flycatcher to build on the ruins of another bird's 

 nest, and several such instances have come under my 

 own notice. Close to the Black Bog I found a 

 Snipe's nest with a brace of eggs in it. They very 

 much resembled a small Peewit's egg, not being as 

 richly marked as the usual run of Snipe's ; in fact 

 they showed little red in the markings. The nest, 

 simply composed of a little cotton grass, was in a 

 tussock, and I found it quite by chance, for the bird 

 was not " on," though I flushed her close by. Be- 

 sides this we found a Meadow Pipit's nest with five 

 eggs and a Peewit's with the usual four. 



June i^th. To-day I heard of the finding of a 

 Fern Owl's nest a few days back. As yet I have not 

 discovered one this season. Walked into B. by the 

 road, but just opposite G. farm, getting some few 

 yards ofT the beaten track, flushed a Titlark from her 

 nest, which proved to contain a young Cuckoo just 

 hatched, a Meadow Pipit in the same state, and one 

 egg, whilst just outside the nest were two more eggs. 

 Being extremely interested in the matter, I watched 

 for some time, and had the good fortune to witness 

 the young Cuckoo eject the egg from the nest. It 

 first got the egg between the side of the nest and 

 itself, and working under it, with great exertion 



15 



