314 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



had their nest last year, but now I could see no sign of them. How- 

 ever, I had not gone far from it when I heard a loud " kek, kek, kek," 

 and there, sure enough, was the Merlin leaving a dune a little ahead 

 of me. This must have been the male bird on the look-out, for, when 

 I reached the dune, the other bird flew off from close by, and, on 

 rushing to the spot, I discovered the four beautiful red eggs laid in a 

 scratching lined with coarse grass. Meanwhile, my friend, who had 

 gone to the mountains, was spending the afternoon in trying to 

 locate a Peregrine's eyrie, but although the birds would frequently 

 fly on to a whitewashed ledge, he could not make out where their 

 eyrie was situated, not even by the aid of binoculars. He also saw 

 a Raven's nest containing five young, and a nest of a Ring-Ouzel 

 with two eggs. This Raven's nest was the third that we knew of 

 this season, and I am glad to say that each one of them reared off a 

 brood — one of two, one of three, and this one of five. On June 7th I 

 went with the Friars School Field Club to Puffin Island, where a 

 most enjoyable time was obtained. Herring-Gulls, Lesser Black- 

 backs, two pairs Greater Black-backs, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, 

 Shag, Oystercatchers, Rock-Pipits, and a Wheatear were the birds 

 seen on the island, and some eggs and young of some of these species 

 were found. After having been on the island for about two hours, 

 news was brought that one of the boys had fallen over a cliff, and 

 was seriously injured, so everybody was obliged to return quickly to 

 the little steamer, and on our arrival at Bangor the unfortunate lad 

 was taken to the infirmary, where he is now rapidly recovering. 

 Knowing that the Nightjar occurred at the grounds near to the 

 Tubular Bridge, we visited there on July 15th, and began beating 

 about in the ferns. When we arrived at the other end of the field 

 we at last flushed the Nightjar, which flew noiselessly away from its 

 two eggs harmonizing so well with their surroundings. This was 

 the fourth year that we knew of for the bird to breed at this place, 

 and each time it had reared off a brood. Before leaving we found a 

 Kestrel's scratching, situated in a hollow formed by the roots of an 

 oak-tree, growing outward from the top of a cliff, and in this were 

 laid four eggs. A few Corn-Buntings were seen perched on the 

 telegraph-wires, uttering forth their long-drawn note, and a White- 

 throat and a Tree-Pipit were flitting about a hedge. Aber was again 

 cycled to, and in going up the river we saw some Dippers and Wood- 

 . peckers, the latter flying hurriedly away from the trees, calling forth 

 their note. In a hole in a tree was found a nest containing five young 

 of a Redstart, and near by a nest with three eggs of a Spotted Fly- 



