The Zoologist — October, 1866. 439 



spent many hours in exploring the recesses of the neighbouring hills 

 in search of these birds, but without any luck, and cannot positively 

 say I saw any, although I once came near a small party of jackdaw- 

 like birds on these uplands, but before my telescope could be brought 

 to bear upon them they were over the hill top, and I saw them no 

 more. Other parties spoken to on the subject corroborated Mr. 

 Roberts's statement as to the "red-legged jackdaw" breeding here. 

 I very much regret I cannot establish the fact from my own personal 

 observations ; and have been led to make these remarks trusting that 

 some brother ornithologist may one day visit the neighbourhood 

 of Llyn Cwellyn, and be more fortunate in his search after the 

 chonghs. 



Gray Wagtail. — This graceful species is unmistakably the bird of 

 the mountain stream, and is very common everywhere in the 

 mountainous parts of the country, delighting in the vicinity of water; 

 and where the turmoil is greatest, there this pretty wagtail is most at 

 home, nimbly running over the water-splashed boulders, and venturing 

 so close to the rushing torrent that the wonder is it is not swept away. 

 Unlike our familiar yellow wagtail, the gray species is seldom seen far 

 from water; it is essentially a water-loving bird. 



Cuckoo. — When looking for some plants in one of the bogs at the 

 base of Snowdon, I put up a young cuckoo from some low bushes: it 

 flew some short distance, and settled on a flat stone on the moor, all 

 the time closely attended by its foster-parents, two meadow pipits, who 

 exhibited the greatest solicitude for the safety of their charge. I 

 watched them for some lime, and was greatly amused by the efforts 

 the pipits made to feed their child : this they could only accomplish 

 by perching on an overhanging spray of heath, the great bird, which was 

 nearly fully fledged, quivering its wings, and opening its mouth to such 

 an extent as to threaten the disappearance of the little dupes. I 

 followed the cuckoo for some distance on my way down to the valley, 

 as it flew forward from stone to stone, all the time closely followed up 

 by the small birds; the last I saw of them they were sitting altogether 

 on the top of a stone w all crossing the moor. 



Swift. — This species is extremely plentiful in North Wales, and 

 appears far more generally distributed throughout the country than is 

 the case in England. I observed them in large numbers about the 

 town and vale of Llangollen, more particularly in the neighbourhood 

 of Valle Crucis Abbey, which, from the numbers resorting thither, is 

 evidently a " happy hunting-ground." 



