THE BIRDS OF BABDSEY ISLAND. 13 



appeared to be rather warmly coloured, but this may have been 

 caused by the contrast with the sad colour of their surroundings, 

 caused by the severe drought then prevailing, which told terribly 

 on the shallow soil of this outlying spot. 



The most noticeable land-birds were the Corn-Bunting, 

 Blackbird, Starling, Corn-Crake, and Jackdaw. There are some 

 common birds found in Lleyn which I could not find on Bardsey ; 

 and, as the birds there are rather tame and conspicuous, it is not 

 likely that I should overlook them if they were to be found on 

 the island at all commonly. The Robin and Stonechat, both 

 common on the adjoining part of the mainland, are among them. 

 Both may have been temporarily exterminated by the long con- 

 tinuance of heavy storms from the sea which battered Lleyn in 

 the previous winter. I think if there had been any Sky -Larks 

 on the island they would surely have been singing over the fields 

 at five o'clock on a fine May morning. I saw no Swifts or 

 Yellow Buntings ; I may have overlooked the Wren. I saw 

 thirty-nine (or forty) species of birds in all, and the list, although 

 doubtless incomplete, may be worth printing, as it gives, at all 

 events, a fair idea of the bird-life of this outlying bit of North 

 "Wales. 



1. Blackbird (Turdus merula). — Very common, conspicuous, and 

 tame. For want of a better place, the males sang from the top of the 

 stone gate-posts, and from big stones. 



2. Wheatear (Saxicola cenanthe). — Fairly common. 



3. Whitethroat ( Sylvia cinerea). — Fairly numerous about the taller 

 gorse. 



4. Willow- Wren (Phylloscopus trochilus). — A few about the low- 

 lying parts. 



5. Sedge- Warbler (Acrocephalus phragmitis). — One or two about 

 the willow-beds. 



6. Hedge-Sparrow (Accentor modularis). — Pretty common in the 

 lower parts ; carrying food. 



7. Meadow-Pipit (Anthus pratensis). — Some about the mountain 

 and lower pastures. 



8. Rock- Pipit (A. obscurus). — Fairly common. 



9. Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa grisola). — Several about the 

 -farm-gardens. 



10. Swallow (Hirundo rustica). — A good many. 



