92 THE ORNITHOLOGIST. 



is quite incredible to a person who only knows the hills in their normal state: 

 and the number of birds usually seen. On one occasion in 1894 a very 

 handsome pied variety was shot with breast and wings nearly pure white. 



The Golden Plover (C. pluvialis) is occasionally shot and I found it 

 breeding this year. The Lapwing ( V. vulgaris), though seldom obtained, is 

 fairly common, and breeds much in the same places as the Curlew. 



Some few waders from the Conway Estuary sometimes stray up the valley 

 and find their way to the borders of the mountain lakes ; for example, the 

 Ringed Plover (JEgialitis liiaticula) which has been shot at Diwaunnedd Lake. 

 Sometimes, too, in rough weather small parties of Gulls make their appear- 

 ance from the coast. Some years ago a small number of Ptarmigan (Z. 

 mutus) were turned down 1 on Moel Siabod, but for some reason or other they 

 were not a success and quickly disappeared. 



Of the smaller birds the Meadow Pipit {A. pratensis) is the commonest 

 bird on the moor, but the Tree Pipit (A. trivialis) is distinctly rare, though 

 it does inhabit the woods bordering the moors in a few places, e.g., between 

 Pontypaut and Bettws. 



The Swallow (//. rustica) and the Martin (Cli. urbica) are both common, 

 but the Sand Martin (Cotile riparia) is absent entirely, owing to there being 

 no sand-banks in the neighbourhood. 



Though the Yellow Wagtail (AT. rati) is not uncommon, the Grey Wagtail 

 (M. melanope) is almost as generally distributed, and is in marked contrast 

 to the Surrey and South of England distribution of this class. 



(To be concluded.) 



OBSERVATIONS AND QUERIES. 



Notes from the Thames. — The spring here has been marked by two 

 important features. The first has been the strength of the migration of 

 the Common Sandpiper (Totanus liypolcucus) ; commencing on the 13th April, 

 it has continued until the beginning of June, single birds or pairs being seen 

 almost every day along the banks of the river. During spring migration this 

 species seems to me to move up stream, and to come down again in autumn, 

 but on account of their migrating at night, it makes it very hard to say with 

 certainty if it really is so ; however, their movements during the day-time 

 strongly support the theory. The other feature has been the large num- 



1 I do not know who turned them down, but was informed that they were so 

 by a keeper. 



