48 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



settled they keep up a continual chattering, but are silent whilst 

 on the wing. 



Rose-coloured Pastor. Pastor roseus. — I have the pleasure 

 of recording the occurrence of one of these beautiful birds, if not 

 actually in the county, at least close to the borders. It was shot 

 in an apple tree at Cynghordy (one of the ancient seats of the 

 Gwynnes), not far from Llanwrtyd, and was fortunately preserved. 

 It was an adult male, in good plumage, and when alive must have 

 been a splendid bird. It had been stuffed some years when 

 I examined it, and the delicate rose-colour had somewhat faded. 



Hedgesparrow, Accentor modularis. — Pretty plentiful with 

 us, but not nearly so much so as in England. Probably it is 

 rather too cold here for it in winter. 



Robin, Erythacus rubecula. — Common. The country people 

 here say that the year-old bird kills the two-year-old bird, but 

 I think the weaker generally goes to the wall. Only the other day 

 a man called my attention to two Robins fighting, and one killed 

 the other in an incredibly short space of time ; he then picked up 

 and showed me the dead bird, and it certainly was a fine old male, 

 in beautiful plumage. It appeared to have been choked by the 

 victor, as its plumage was almost unruffled. 



Redstart, Ruticilla phcenicura. — Is invariably called here 

 the " firebrand-tail," and is very common in the gardens around 

 Brecon and in the woods of the county. 



Wheatear, Saxicola cenanthe. — Common on our hills and 

 moors, but in no great numbers. 



Stonechat, Saxicola rubicola, and Furzechat, S. rubetra. — 

 Both common, especially the latter, there being still a great 

 quantity of furze on the lower part of most of our hills. They 

 affect favourite localities, for whilst in some places covered with 

 furze they may be constantly observed, on other hills equally well 

 covered they are hardly ever to be seen. 



Sedge Warbler, Sallcaria phragmitis, and Reed Warbler, 

 S. strepera. — Both fairly common, particularly in the neighbour- 

 hood of and around Llangorse Lake, where there is an abundant 

 growth of reeds. 



Nightingale, Philomela luscinia.— Sparingly scattered over 

 the county. There is a saying common here that the Nightingale 

 is never heard westward of the Bwlch, which is distant about 

 eight miles from Brecon, on the Crickhowell side of the county; 



