VOL. XIII.] THE BIRDS OF BARDSEY ISLAND. 45 



other bushes in the farmhouse gardens, the Waders 

 that halted on such a comparatively inhospitable shore 

 had perforce to use the coastal rocks, while the warm, 

 dry sand of the west bay formed a sure attraction to the 

 passing bands of Wagtails. 



A curious feature revealed by the three sets of summer 

 observations is the instability of the breeding population of 



BARDSEY ISLAND. EAST COAST CLIFFS. 



such species as the Redbreast, Wren, Song-Thrush, Wheatear^ 

 Stonechat, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, etc. Mr. Aplin suggests 

 that this is due to the fierce winter storms that occasionally 

 sweep the island, wiping out the resident species. Though 

 this may be a factor, at any rate with such species as the 

 Wren, it must be remembered that the individuals of many 

 are very few in number and with few exceptions migratory, 

 and if it be true, as is generally assumed and has been proved 

 in a number of instances, that the same individuals or their 

 young frequently return to their fomier homes, the accidents 



