408 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



of the Oystercatchers had young along the edge of the crags. On 

 the sand at Redwharf Bay were a number of Sheld-Ducks, which 

 were breeding in an adjacent warren; here, too, on the shingle 

 were a few pairs of Ringed Plovers, a species which was nesting 

 in several places on the low-lying coast between Penmon and 

 Beaumaris. 



At one place on the cliffs the Swift, which was distributed 

 throughout the district, was nesting in some numbers ; and at 

 the same spot a colony of about thirty pairs of House-Martins 

 had their nests on the precipitous limestone rock-face. The 

 House-Martin, unlike the Swallow, was by no means common ; 

 indeed, we did not meet with any in that part of the district 

 south-west of Menai Bridge. The Sand-Martin, too, was not 

 plentiful, but a few pairs were nesting in the low marl-cliffs 

 between Penmon and Beaumaris. 



Half a mile north-east of Penmon Point lies Priestholm, or 

 Puffin, an island, rising some two hundred feet above the sea, 

 bounded by rugged limestone cliffs. " On this island," according 

 to Willughby, " build the Anates Arcticse of Clussius (here called 

 Puffins), Razorbills, Guilliams, Cormorants, and divers sorts of 

 Gulls." On June 6th we visited the island, where we found the 

 " divers sorts " to be three species — Herring and Lesser Black- 

 backed Gulls and Kittiwakes. Herring-Gulls, abundant on the 

 cliffs of the mainland, swarmed here ; the colonies practically 

 extending round the island. Most of the birds were feeding 

 downy young — some of them well-grown — but hundreds of nests 

 still contained eggs. The clamour of thousands of voices, and 

 the sight of the cloud of white birds above the blue water was 

 most impressive. On the seaward or northern side of the island 

 there were a few scattered pairs of Lesser Black-backed Gulls 

 amongst the Herring-Gulls, but at the southern extremity they 

 were massed in a large colony, and at this place far outnumbered 

 the other species. Pennant was acquainted with the Lesser 

 Black-backed Gull, for in his ' Zoologia Britannica ' (4th edit. 

 1776-77) he accurately described the bird, which he met with in 

 Anglesea, in his article on the Great Black-backed Gull, although 

 he was undecided whether it was a distinct species or merely a 

 variety of the larger bird. It does not appear, however, to be 

 common during the breeding season in North Wales, and Mr. 



