OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS IN MID- WALES. 135 



May 5th; 1893, April 18th; 1894, April 28th. On May X3th of 

 this year I heard it near Aberaeron. 



Great Tit, Parus major. 



Marsh Tit, P. palustris. Not at all plentiful, by far the 

 least numerous of the Tits, though Eev. Murray A. Mathew 

 finds it abundant in Pembrokeshire. Met with more frequently 

 in the valleys of the Wye and Towy, where there is decayed 

 timber in which it can peck out nest-holes. 



Coal Tit, P. britannicus. 



Blue Tit, P. cceruleus. 



Long-tailed Tit, Acredula rosea. 



Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor. Mr. Hutchings has 

 had two or three for preservation, one of which I have seen. 



Red-backed Shrike, L. collurio. A few pairs visit us, and 

 are the last of the summer migrants to arrive, not appearing 

 before May 23rd. More plentiful at Barmouth, where I saw a 

 brood, which had just left the nest, on the hill behind the 

 town, July 1st, 1892. One at Llechryd, near Cardigan, June 

 29th, 1894. 



Golden Oriole, Oriolas galbula. Mr. Hutchings has never 

 had a Cardiganshire specimen, but a pair of birds reported some 

 years since as having been seen at Llidiardau, Llanilar, must 

 have been of this species. 



Pied Flycatcher, Muscicapa atricapilla. Probably occurs 

 in Central Wales, wherever there is suitable timber. Many 

 newly-arrived males amongst old oaks beside the Elan, near 

 Rhayader, on May 8th, 1892. It swarms amongst decayed oaks, 

 birches, and alders on the sides of some of the upland dales in 

 North Carmarthenshire. In this locality the nests were ready 

 for eggs on May 6th, 1894, though the birds can only have 

 arrived a few days previously. In Cardiganshire it occurs at 

 Hafod, and about 1882 Capt. G. W. Cosens obtained one at 

 Cwm, near Aberystwyth. On May 2nd, 1894, I saw one at 

 Llyfnant Valley, singing in some oaks on the Montgomeryshire 

 side of the stream. In Merionethshire I hear of it at Peniarth 

 Uchaf, and in woods by the Artro and Nantcol above Llanbedr. 

 Besides its song it has several notes, one of them suggestive of 

 the Goldfinch. 



Spotted Flycatcher, M. grisola. Fairly numerous. Rather 

 late to arrive ; 1892, May 14th ; 1893, May 9th; 1894, May 15th. 



