212 BIRD LIFE IN WILD WALES 



considerably overlooked, being as it is such a retiring 

 species, skulking in the thickets and densest hedges. 

 It may readily be distinguished from the Blackcap, 

 which it otherwise very much resembles, by not 

 having a black head ; whilst the female lacks the 

 chestnut crown of the female Blackcap. Saw a 

 pair of the Black-backed Gulls fly up the river. 



June \6th. Walked in along the line towards B., 

 and on the telegraph wires running through the 

 wooded piece of embankment saw a select gather- 

 ing of birds as follows : A male Pied Flycatcher, a 

 male Shrike, a male Bullfinch and Chaffinch. They 

 were sitting on the wires close together, affording a 

 pleasing contrast of colour. Later in the day made 

 for the G. rocks and the Nightjars. In one of the 

 recognised haunts, on a piece of dead fern lying on 

 the rocks, was one egg. The hen Nightjar was on it 

 when I approached, and knowing exactly where she 

 was, I got a fine view of her at close range. Further 

 along the rocks a Tree Pipit fluttered from her home 

 in the bracken, revealing six eggs of the dark purplish 

 red type, and a little further yet a Meadow Pipit did 

 the same, leaving five eggs exposed to view ; but the 

 piece de resistance was a Cirl Bunting's nest, containing 

 two nestlings just hatched and one unhatched egg. 

 This nest was made amongst the matted bracken 

 and brambles, and I almost trod upon the bird before 

 she left her treasures. The single egg was quite 

 enough to identify the species by, but to " mak 

 siccar " I watched the female back to her home, and 

 besides this saw the male bring food in. This species 

 may readily be distinguished from the Yellow Bunting 



