THE BIRDS OF BRECONSHIRE. 217 



of each other, but we have no regular heronry in the county, and 

 numbers must go elsewhere to breed. Formerly there was a 

 heronry at Llwynwormwood Park, near Llandovery, Carmarthen- 

 shire, about twenty miles from Brecon, as the Crow — or rather 

 the Heron — flies, but from some inexplicable cause, and without 

 any apparent reason, about fifteen years ago this heronry suddenly 

 broke up into two parties, one going to Neuadd-fawr, Cilcwm, 

 near Llandovery, the residence of Mr. Campbell Davys, where 

 they still are, and now number about one hundred birds, and the 

 other, and smaller portion coming to Bailyddu, Llandilofan, in the 

 county of Brecon, where, however, they did not stay long, but no 

 doubt gradually distributed themselves over the county. The 

 distance from Llwynwormwood to Neuadd would be about six 

 miles, and to Llandilofan about twelve miles. I am indebted to 

 my friend Col. Jones, of Velindre, Llandovery, for the above 

 interesting particulars. The severe weather of January, 1881, 

 was most fatal to the Herons. In looking for Woodcocks in that 

 month, on one of the coldest days I ever remember, I moved a 

 splendid cock Heron from a spring, or as it is called here a 

 " soak," near the Gludy Lake. Happening to be in the same 

 place a few days after, I found one (probably the same bird) dead 

 from starvation. About the same time I also saw another Heron 

 dead from the same cause on the banks of a pond at Penlan, 

 close by Brecon. A very small colony of Herons have bred in a 

 wood near Senny Bridge for many years, but their nests never 

 seem to increase beyond half-a-dozen. These birds, I am glad to 

 say, have a very easy time of it here, not being often molested, 

 as if killed they are seldom or ever eaten. 



Purple Heron, Ardea ■purpurea. — Has once been killed in 

 the county, near Talybont. The gentleman who shot it told me 

 there were three together on the Kiver Usk, near this place. 

 This specimen, which has been preserved, I have had the pleasure 

 of inspecting, and a beautiful specimen it is. 



Squacco Heron, Ardea comata. — One of these unusually rare 

 visitors was shot by Capt. Hotchkis on the Biver Wye, near Hay, 

 in Breconshire, on May 3rd, 1867, and is now in the collection of 

 Mr. Baskerville, of Clyro Court, Hay, who has kindly favoured 

 me with these particulars. 



Bittern, Botaurus stellaris. — If ever there was a county that 

 formerly echoed with the "boom" of the Bittern, it must have 



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