138 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



noticed in ■ The Zoologist.'* It is not at all numerous as yet at 

 Aberystwyth, but probably extends along the whole coast of this 

 county, as in June of the present year I met with it at New Quay, 

 Aberporth, &c, showing a partiality for ferny "cwms," with brier 

 and bramble thickets. 



Reed Bunting, E. schoeniclus. Local; Borth, Tregaron, and 

 Clarach bogs, and after a snowfall in stack-yards. 



Snow Bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis. Numerous after the 

 snowfalls of January 9th, 1892, and January 6th, 1893. Two on 

 Constitution Hill, Aberystwyth, March 12th, 1893. One, a very 

 tame bird, on Borth golf-links, April 9th, 1894. 



Starling, Sturnus vulgaris. Still flocking, May 1st, 1892. 

 Absent as a breeding species from many of the hill districts. I 

 have not seen it in the upper part of the Towy Valley. 



Chough, Pyrrhocorax graculus. This decreasing species has 

 probably ceased to breed within twenty miles of Aberystwyth. 

 Nesting commonly some years since, both to the north and south 

 of the town, persecution had left but five members of the colony 

 in the summer of 1892, and these were reduced to three by the 

 autumn. On April 4th, 1893, I saw a pair which were doubtless 

 nesting in the usual spot — the roof of a cave, the only one upon this 

 piece of coast which is not left dry at low tide, never containing 

 less than five feet of water, and not to be approached by boat 

 owing to hidden rocks. Here they might have been thought 

 safe, but I failed to see anything of them in 1894. Mr. Hutchings 

 tells me that he has been offered 7s. each for the eggs. Somewhat 

 further afield, however, the Chough still survives, and cannot fail 

 to be met with in every cliff- walk. At the end of June, 1894, I 

 met with single birds, pairs, and parties of from three to six at 

 frequent intervals along some twenty miles of coast. One family 

 of eight walked tamely about the grass, faintly cawing, the 

 young birds allowing me to come within forty yards. I could 

 note their restless manner upon the ground, much more like 

 the Starling than the Jackdaw. Few parts of the Merionethshire 

 coast are suited to the Chough, but inland three or four pairs 

 frequented the Bird Rock, where, however, as Mr. Abel tells me, 

 none have been seen since 1887. The Chough does not seem to 

 wander, and seldom revisits haunts from which it has disappeared. 

 Mr. F. T. Fielden has only met with it once at Borth. 



* ' Zoologist,' 1892, p. 180, 





