78 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



in Cwm Dyli, on the tianks of Snowdon, and during an ascent of 

 that mountain I noticed a Fox crossing the ridge of Crib-y- 

 Ddysgyl just below the summit. 



At Aberystwyth, on Oct. 4th, a Stonechat sang a few strains 

 at dusk ; I had not previously known this species as an autumn 

 songster. On the 15th Mr. Hutchings showed me a Spotted 

 Crake just set up. In November Bramblings appeared under the 

 beech trees. They seem to visit us biennially, missing the alter- 

 nate years when there is no beech-mast. On Nov. 12th I received 

 a Polecat from Nanteos. 



The rest of my notes refer to the past year. 



On Jan. 18th Mr. Hutchings showed me an immature speci- 

 men of the Little Gull. It was obtained during rough weather 

 about nine days previously. A few bright warm days about 

 Feb. 20th brought the Stonechats into song. On the 28th I 

 received a very large male Polecat from the same locality as the 

 previous one. 



Upon March 1st, St. David's Day, visiting a nesting site of 

 the Raven upon the coast about six miles south of this town, I 

 found, as the glass showed, that the birds had refitted their old 

 nest, which already contained an egg or eggs. About this date 

 Curlew were constantly on the move, passing inland to their 

 breeding quarters ; they were to be heard at all hours of the day 

 and night. On March 11th Herons were already sitting. A 

 small party of Lesser Redpolls in alders at Llanilar were, with 

 one exception, the first that I have met with in this county. On 

 March 28th a Raven's nest in the Nant Berwyn, near Tregaron, 

 contained three incubated eggs. The birds were furious, and 

 came within ten yards of us, the cock tearing up soil and grass 

 with his bill. Two days later I saw four Wood Larks on the 

 wing at Llanbadarn. About two hundred and fifty Golden Plover 

 were resting on the sands at the mouth of the Dovey on April 

 19th. On the 23rd a Wheatear was singing well at 11.45 p.m., a 

 fair moonlight night. On April 26th, and again three days later, 

 I heard the note of the Nutnatch in Cwm Woods. I have never 

 previously identified this bird at Aberystwyth, though always on 

 the look-out for it during the past eight years. A Pied Flycatcher 

 was singing amongst the oaks at Nanteos on May 7th. 



Birds were never in better voice than during the first half of 



