OBSERVATIONS ON BIRPS IN MIP "WALES, 253 



Steganopodes. 



Gannet, Sula bassana. Those which occur are chiefly storm- 

 driven birds, washed up or found in fields some miles inland. 



Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carlo. The Craig y Deryn, or 

 'Bird Rock," six miles from Towyn, is well known as an inland 

 breeding station of the Cormorant. Upon the steeper face of the 

 crag each whitened shelf or bracket-like projection supports a 

 nest or two. The old birds sail out from the upper ledges with 

 expanded wings and outstretched neck. Others, coming in from 

 fishing, whizz overhead, and greet the occupants of the nest, as 

 they land upon it, with a resonant bray. At the foot of the rock 

 are scattered nesting-materials, egg-shells, and fragments of trout 

 from the lakes and flat-fish from the sea. The young birds while 

 in the nest keep up a fretful, crooning noise. In August and 

 September they go down to the river below, where many are shot. 

 In 1894 there appeared to be about forty nests, and for the first 

 time a pair or two nested upon an outlying spur of the rock at a 

 much lower level than the rest. On Aug. 31st two white-breasted 

 young birds were still upon the nesting-ledge. The sitting birds, 

 when disturbed, have a habit of blowing out their pouches 

 menacingly. Upon the coast nearer to Aberystwyth, the Cor- 

 morant has several much-frequented perching-places, notably the 

 one just to the north of the town, but none appear to breed nearer 

 than Cwm Tydi, south of which point I found about a dozen 

 nests containing newly-hatched young ones on May 13th. There 

 is another small colony upon the cliff at Llangranog. 



Shag, P. graculus. Seldom occurs at Aberystwyth, and does 

 not breed upon this part of the coast. It doubtless nests south 

 of New Quay, where there are caves and fissures exactly suited to 

 its requirements. 



Tubinares. 



Fork-tailed Petrel, Procellaria leucorrhcea. Occasionally 

 occurs during rough weather. Mr. Hutchings has preserved a 

 fair number. 



Storm Petrel, P. pelagica. Frequently seen or obtained 

 during westerly gales in autumn and winter. On Oct. 24th, 1894, 

 one was seen from the terrace amongst the crests of the waves 

 close inshore. 



Collared Petrel, CEstrelata torquata. The occurrence of 



