BIRDS OBSERVED IN MID-WALES. 407 



account of bad weather, than it would otherwise have been, and 

 the observations were made almost entirely inland. No swimming 

 birds were observed, with the exception of Larus fuscus, of which 

 a single specimen, an adult in full plumage, was noted. The 

 authorities are silent as regards the Redstart in Mid- and North 

 Wales, but I found it a common, indeed abundant, bird in most 

 of the localities which I visited. The Pied Flycatcher also 

 appears to be pretty generally distributed. The presence of the 

 Red Grouse on the grassy hills of Radnorshire is interesting, but 

 probably it does not stray very far from the heather. The 

 Dunlin, Tringa alpina, was not seen, but the Curlew, Numenius 

 arquata, is thinly scattered, and the Golden Plover was observed 

 in one locality. The Carrion Crow was abundant everywhere, 

 but only a single pair of Ravens was seen. The. country may be 

 described generally as hilly, but not mountainous, with deep 

 wooded valleys, the prevalent tree being the oak. Woods of 

 considerable age exist in some parts, but the bulk consists of 

 this century's growth, probably planted to replace those cut 

 down for shipbuilding. The extensive damage done by the 

 frosts and N.E. winds of May last was well seen in the oak-woods 

 of the higher passes, where for miles the trees presented a mass of 

 brown withered foliage as in late autumn. Some rugged " cwms" 

 occur in places where the rocks appear through the sides of the 

 hills, forming small precipices, often wood-girt; but the hill- 

 outlines in general are smooth and flowing, sloping up to grassy 

 or heathery moorlands, without dominating peaks such as are 

 found north of the river Dyfi. Plynlimmon, 2469 feet, is the 

 culminating height of the district, but it is a dreary elevated moor- 

 land, rather than a mountain. 



The birds observed by me were : — 



Mistle Thrush; Thrush; Blackbird. — Last two abundant. 



Ring Ouzel. — Not many; observed on the sides of the 

 " cwms." 



Wheatear. — A few seen on the hill-sides and " cwms." 



Whinchat. — Several pairs by the roadside in the higher parts 

 of the valleys. 



Redstart. — In mnny places one of the most conspicuous of 

 roadside birds, haunting dry stone-walls, hedge-banks, and old 

 timber on the outskirts of the woods. 



Robin. — Common, 



