Llandudno Advertiser and List of Visitors

WILD BIRDS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. BY MR, G. A. HUTCHINSON, LITTLE, OH M E. A most interesting paper on "The Wild Birds of the Neighbourhood" was read at a meeting of the U Craigydon Mutual Im- provement Association on Friday evening, by Mr G. A. Hutchinson. The paper wa,s so much appreciated by the members and of such general interest that, we have arranged for its publication in our columns, and below give the first instal- ment, The ground I am covering to-night in- cludes the coast between Colwyn Bay and Penmaenmawr, and the country between these two points as far south as Glan Con- way, and for the size, it will be a difficult. matter to find another to compare with it as regards the number of species to be found. According to one of our leading L, authorities on British Bdrds,, Mr Howard Saunders, the actual number of species considered British is 367 j of these he says the number which have bred in the British Isle may be taken as 200, about. 70 non- breeding wanderers have occurred fewer than six times, 59 others are more or less infrequent visitors, while 38 species an- nually make their appearance on migra- tion or during the colder months, in some portion of the United Kingdom. Now in the small tract of countrv I am speaking of to-night we find 78 resident species and 28 summer visitors, making a total of 106 species which breed in our district every year. You will notice, Mr Saunders states that 200 species have bred in the British Isles, this number of course includes many which have ceased to breed in this coun- try. For instance, the Great Auk, which is now supposed to entirely extinct, the is now supposed to be eut-reiy extinct, the been killed about 1812; also; the Whooper, Spoonbill, Little Bittern, Crane, Great Bustard and several others. Again there are over 20 species which only breed in the far north of Scotland and several others which have only occasionally bred in this coun- try, so by deducting these numbers the total of species breeding in England and Wales at the present tiime is about 150, and I think you will all agree with me that to be able to claim 106 out of this number for our own district is little short of mar- velous. Of course the reason for this is not fax to seek, as we have practically all the conditcns necessary to bird life in the small area I am referring to to-night. We have fine rocky headlands on the coast, and shingle beach, mountains, woodlands, moorlands and marshes. Now in addition to the breeding species, which include both resident and summer visitors, we have 46 which vissit us during the winter months and 12 others which occur rarely on migration in the spring and winter, making D, grand total for the immediate neighbourhood of 164 species. I will first of all take the residents, and those which I name without comment I take for grant- ed you are all familiar with. THE' PEREGRINE FALCON. which is now comparatively rare in th-is country, I consider the most, important on my list to-night, as we have two pairs of this noble bird which breed, almost as I might say within the boundaries of Llan- dudno, one on the Great Orme, and one on the Little Orme, Where there is no doubt they have bred from time immemorial The birds from this district have long been noted as a fine race, and in olden times were highly prized for their value in falconry, on account of their courageous spirit, combined with confidence and fear- lessness. Pennant mentions that in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, Lord Burleigh sent a letter of thanks to an ancestor of tlhe Mos- tyns for a, present of a cast of Peregrines from Orme's Head. John Price in his guide to Llandudno says "The Peregrines have never ceased to breed on the Orme s Heads since one of the Mostyns presented James I. of England with a. cast which is said to have been worth 2100,0." I am afraid it would be a poor case with the Peregrines if this price could be demanded now. This bird never buillds a nest, but lays its eggs, usually in April, on some overhung ledge of a cliff covered with a coating of earth in which a hollow is scratched, or sometimes an old nest, of the Raven or Carrion Crow is occupied, and on rare occasions high ibuldings are chosen for a site. Salisbury Cathedral has for ma,ny years provided an eyrie on its spire, which is still tenanted, and the Penegrines are carefully protected by the Dean. The eggs are two: to four in num- ber. The young birds as soon as they are able to forage for themselves are, driven away by their parentis, this generally about August. The same spot is resorted to year after year for the purpose of breed- ing, and it is a strange fact that should one of the pair be killed the survivor soon finds and returns with another mate. The diet consists of Ducks, Waders, Sea Fowl, Pigeons, Choughs, Grouse, Partridge, etc., also rabbits and small mammals. It is a curious fact, especially when breeding on the coast, the Peregrines always choose a nesting place among other birds which form their food, and on the Little Orme I have often noticed hundreds of small sea birds and other species flying about with- out showing the slightest sign of alarm even when the Peregrines are on the wing; evidently they look upon iit as fate and warit their turn. In concluding the account of this species I may say the flight of the. Pere- grine is very powerful, and has been esti- mated by various authorities at from 60 to 100 miles per hour. OWLS. These birds have always been favourites with me, and in my younger days I kept three species in captivity, which we have resident, viz. Tawny, Barn or White and Long-Eared Owl. They aTe a very in- teresting useful family of and de- serve to be prortected if only on account of the valuable services they render to the agriculturist. I am glad to say that farmers in many parts of the country re- cognise their usefulness, and I know of many instances, especially in the North of England., where they do all in their power to protect them. It is chiefly owing to the stupiclity of our gamekeepers thati this family of birds is sadly decreasing1, and in some districts all but exterminated. Why they should be destroye as vermin I fail to understand, as their food consists of rats, mice, voles, moles, bats, small bprds, large moths, earthworms and frogs. You will notice there is no mention of young gaimei of any kind. Now many keepers assert they take pheasant chicks; well this I consider rather a libel on the poor Owl, especially when you take into ac- count that he is purely a night bjird, and that when he comes abroad to hunt, the young pheasants are: either safe within the coops, or if bred in a wild state, in the woods, covered by the parent. With re- gard to the T'awny Owl, Lord Lilford says —"I cannot acquit the Brown Owl of am occasional bit of poaching, but I am convinced that such occurrences fare ex- ceptional, and in defence of a very favourite bird may refer my readers to the result, of an examination of 210 pellets composed of indigestible portions of food thrown up by the birds of this species. In these pellets the remains of six rats, 42 mice, 296 voles, 33 shrews, 48 moles, 18 small birds, 48 beetles, besides a. count- less number of cockchafers were discover- ed, incontestialbly proving the general innocent nature of the Tawny Owl's bill of fare. As regards the food of the White or Barn Owl, this consists almost exclu- sively of rats and mice, and it destroys a great number of these pests, especially when there axe Owlets to be fed, at which t. time, one well-known authority, Mr Waterton., noticed that a pair of Barn Owls came to the nest with food seventeen times in half-an-hour." Now granting the Owls do an occasional bit of poaching and I may tell you these I reports have, seldom if ever been authenti- cated, I maintain tha,t their usefulness in destroying riats and mice, which in their turn destroy crops more than halances the account, and I hope the time is not far distant, when these birds will be included and protected all the year round under the Wild Birds' Protection Act. THE; RAVEN. Probably owing to the systematic per- secution to which it has been subjected, by sheep farmers, gamekeepers and egg collectors, this bird is becoming very rare in many parts of the country, but in Wales it still maintains itself in considerable numbers. In our district I only know of one pafir breeding at the present day, and that on the rocks beneath thei lighthouse on the Great. Orme's Head. Formerly it used to breed on the Little Orme, but has has not done so now for a great many yeara, a,l,t,hough almost, every winter I see parties., of four tiol six frequently foraging there. It also used to breed on the Con- way mountiain, on the cliff overhanging the Penmaenmawr road, at the town end, and was last seen there about 16 or 17 years ago. In one respect it is rather a useful bfird, being a lover of carrion, and it soon scents the carcase of any large animal, but failing a supply of food of this character it does not, hesiitaite to attack weakly sheep or lambs, which itl kills in a very cruel manner, first picking, out the eyes, then the tongue and next the ltiver, so you can quite understand that. sheep farmers cordially detest it and dasjtroy it by means of poisoned carcasses. Further up the Conway Valley I believe the Raven is still to be found in considerable num- bers, and I notice Mr Forrest in his "Fauna of North Wales states: -"A good many on the mountains round Betitwsy- I coed, 464 killed, in 28 years ending 1902, on Lord Penrhyn's estate. (Tb ibe Contiinued next, week).

BLAGKSMITIH'S: I,oNG PURSE. Inspector Sidney Gibbs, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, prosecuted at Rhyl on Tuesday two carters and their employer, Thomas Jones, blacksmith, for cruelty to a horse, the men for working it and the employer for causing it. to be worked. All three pleaded guilty. The first cases taken were those against Thomas Williams,, one of the carters, and Thomas Jones, his master, in respect of the offence of December 2nd. Inspector Gjrbbs said he saw the horse attached to a two-wheeled cart laden with ashes for the golf links. It was emaciated, and "fear- fully lame." Mir R. Roberts, veterinary surgeon, Old Colwyn, who was afterwards called, described, this as the worsit. case of cruelty he had ever seen. The defendant, Thomas Williams., said that the hotrse went all right when left alone, but the inspector came along and lifted its leg up, and it went lame after that.—(Laughter.) It was shown that Thomas Jones had been fined three times previously for cruelty to animals. Williams was fined 2s. 6d. and 9s. costs, and Jones was fined P,3 and Pl 10s. costs. The second case was proceeded with against Robert. Wiliams, the other carter, and Jones, the charge being: that the horse was worked on the day after it was stopped by the inspector. Poii.ce Constable Rogers saw the animal again drawing ashes to the golf links. The defendant Jones said he was celebrating his birthday on that occa- sion or it would not have happened. It was not everyone who could live in Rhyl 50 years witihouit a" doctor's bill.—(Laugh- ter.) He had a drop of whisky. Robert Williams was fined, like his mate, 2s. 6d and 9s. costs, and Thomas Jones was fined £ 2 and 9s. costs. The last-named defen- dant then produced his money bag and counted out of it, the total amount of the four fines and costs— £ 8 2s.,—which he handed over to the cashier. The return of wintry weather means a return of Coughs, Colds, and other hard weather troubles. You can guard against these by taking regular doses of "Car- ragol." Sold in Is. bottles by Winter and Co., Chemists.

THE BURNING OF THE SARDINIA. LLANDUDNO MAN AMONG THE RESCUING PARTY. The following letter has been received from Frank Johnson, of Anglesea House, Llandudno, A.B. on board H.M'S. "Glory": H.M.S. "Glory," 1st Dec. 1908. Instead of war breaking out we had orders to go. back to Malta, at all speed with two destroyers under our care. A very rough passage, but of course I am quite used to it now. When we arrived at Malta we watered and went round the Island with the Duke of Con- naught to inspect the forts, and went, into harbour the same day. Nothing happened till Wednesday last, when the "Sardinia" caught fire and ran aground just, oujtside the harbour. We manned all the boats and went to the rescue, and it was the worst sight I have ever seen in my life. When she foundered we went alongside, but owing to the rough sea we had to go round to the weather side, at which I thought I would never see home. Again it was a miracle that we were not capsized, anyhow wet got round all right and saved 28 people. The remaiinder over the stern could not be rescued owing to the flames. I saw three, Araibs drop into the water and get cut to pieces by the steamer's screw. After being nearly suffocated by the smoke we got clear; no sooner had we done so than an explosion took place from her forehold. We picked up a couple of dead bodies with no heads nor arms. A sight what I should never like to see again.

HOW IT IS IN RHYL. How is it in Rhyl il Why it is just the same as here. They've found it, out too in Rhyl. What we've found out here in Llan- dudno. Mrs Annie Grays, 28, Bedford-street, Rhyl, says: "Doan's backache kidney pills are such a splendid kidney medicine that I shall always keep some of them in the house, not, that I need to use them now, for I am quite well.. "Before Doan's backache kidney pills cured me I suffered a long time with kid- ney trouble; there were severe pains in the small of my baok, and they were worse than ever while I was at work. There were also other signs of kidney disorder. "I took three boxes of Doan's backache kidney pills, and they drove away the pains, a.nd made me feel better in every way. (Signed) Annie Grays." Palins in the back are a sign of kidney disease; the pain is caused by the kid- neys, which lie under the small of the back. Oltiher common symptoms of kid- ney disorder are dizziness, headache, watery swellings in the ankles and be- neaith the eyes, dimness of sight, and urinary troubles. Doan's Backache Kid- ney Pills are a special kidney and bladder medicine; they act, directly on the kid- neys-no, taction on the bowels.—thus cur- ing the cause of backache, dropsy,_gravel, rheumatism and other kidney troubles. Doan's Backache Kidney Pills are two shillings and ninepence per box (six boxes for thirteen shillings and ninepence). Of all chemists and stores, or post free, direct from Foster-McClellan Co., 8 Wells-street, Oxford-street, London, W. Mrs Grays was cured by Doan's be sure that you get "DOAN'S."

LOCAL INVENTIONS. The following information is specially compiled for the "Llandudno Advertiser" by Messrs Hughes and Young, Patent Agents, 55, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., who will give, advice and assistance free to our readers on all matters relating to Patents, Designs and Trade Marks." APPLICATIONS FOR, PATENTS. 23764. Francis Ralph Septimus Mil- ton, Glyn Padarn, Llanberis, North Wales. Apparatus for the practice of sharp-shooting. 24192. Ernest .Smith, The Chirk Fishery, Chirk, North Wales. Water weed-cutting machine. PATENTS GRANTED. 18067. Boot fastenings. G. Cloates, Menai View, Tregarth, North Wales. The flap of a boot upper has pivotally attached to the edge a wire frame of which the end is pivotally attached to the edge of the flap and the end adjustably and, pivotally attached to the flap by a strap. The two flaps are held together by a suitable fas- tening.

CHRISTMAS ON THE CONTINENT1. Exceptional facilities are offered by the Great Eastern Railway Company's Har- wich-Hook of Holand route for visiting Holland and Germany during the Xmas holidays. Passengers leaving, the Northern and Midland Counties in the afternoon arrive at the principal towns in Holland the following morning; Cologne at noon; Berlin, Dresden, and Bale in the evening Through carriages and rest,aurault, cars are Z;, run to and from Hanover, Berlin, Cologne and Bale, and also between Hanover and Leipsic. Tickets at reduced fares will be issued to Brussels via Harwich and I Antwerp.

William Roberts, quarryman, Rhiwlas, was charged at the Bangor Police Count on Tuesday with the larceny of an over- coat, the property of John Wjiiliams, quarryman, PenttLr, which the. latter had left on a chair in the Waterloo Inn, Bethesda. Mr Pentir Williams, who de- fended, said that the incident was the outcome of a drunken freak, Parry, apart from a fondness for a glass of beer, being a very decent fellow. The Bench took the same view and fined Parry 5s. and costs. i

Oakwood Park Hoteli Conway. I The meat Daintily equipped in the Principality Beautifully situated on the Old Coach road half-way kttweeo Conway and the head of the Syrbuani Pass. Elevated and Dracing position. Mountain aix, brttie from$p^nts of the compass r. lj Hotel owns 18-hole Golf Links, one minute from door. Tanis, towting green and billiards Electric ughtthroughout Alfresco afternoon Teas on Oakwooi Fork Lawns. Hotel 'Bue meets Trains Telegrams: Oakwood. Conway Teiaohona, 21. Mrs C. A. Baiiey, Manageress. -=-

TRAM CAR EPISODE I "HALVES." There were not many passengers on board the tram-car on a recent, somewhat frosty morning, and the air was still frosty in the streets, despite the fact, that, the lamp extinquisher had left one or two of the street lamps still alight, although the sun had made his appearance for some little tiime. "Trying to air the streets," remarked a facetious gentleman passenger, who from his further ,conversat,ion it could he glean- ed, had been spending a week-end at Craig side* Hydro. "Had a ripping, time, he remarked to a mutual friend, and hope I to come down at Xmas if they can find me a bed. There were others evidently requiring a lift by the tram as was evidenced by the fresh arrivals at every stopping1 place. It was not necessary for those already seated to lift their eyes to discover this fact, the sliding to and fro of the door by the con- ductor was quite sufficient intimation not that the peculiar grating noise of this said door was altogether responsible, but alSI an easterly wind was blowing it made itself felt very keenly, and coat collars were turned up and used for thait purpose they were intended when first invented; that is, for use and not for effect. Despite the cold, however, there, were quite a few jovial spirits in the car. Lis- teners could hear both sides of the "Licensing Bill," the, coming fate of the "Education Biill," and the still more disastrous fate of the Government. The statement that an appeal to the country would be iin March next, was not accepted without some demur, and it look- ed as if the for and against debates would becomei so warm as to entirely forget, the outside climatic conditions. What pro- mised to be a highly diverting, if not in- structive discussion, was brought to aq end by the departure of five passengers, one being the chief leader of the, opposition party; and the arrival of a, very excitable gentleman who had, he proclaimed aloud, "Arranged the night previous for a cab- man to take him to the station, and he had, eividently, forgotten his fare." The conductor was appealed too to hurry up; Ilt4 the pains and penalities which would accrue if the said passenger failed to reach Chester by a certain time, were, according to him, something too awful to contem- plate. Mlore haste less speed is an axiom which was well exemplified on this occa- sion, for the new arrival in searching for a copper to pay hds fare, dropped several coins on the floor of the car. Now the floors of the cars of the Llan- dudno and Colwyn Bay Light Railway Company, Limited, to give it its full title, have either by accident or design, been so made that no coiin so dropped can roll very far. And by the assistance of the con- ductor and one or two obliging passengers, the coins were recovered and returned to the owner. The excited gentleman de- clared he was satisfied there were no more, but added, "What are left can be retained by the sweeper." "Clonmel Street and Railway Station," shouted out the conductor, and there was a considerable diminution in the number of passengers. In faCit, there remained a representative of each sex. Both sat on the same side of the car, and the gaze of both was centred on a certain spot on the floor of the car, and lyng on that, spot edgeways, was what, had' every appearance of being half-a-sovereign. Each thought they were the only one who had discovered this truant coin, and each determined to annex it. He of the sterner sex tried, first of all, by dropping his paper and then regaining it, to pick up the coin at, the same time, but he failed. The door opened, and the conductor announced "Vaughan Street" twice, but neither of the passengers moved. This was somewhat puzzling to; the conductor, for the two passengers were regular cus- tomers, and Ithis was their usual dismount- ing place. He slid, to the door and wait- ed a reasonable time, in fact until the down car passed them at the Mostyn Estate offices crossing, and then decided to col- lect the extra fatre. "Gloddaefth Street," said the lady. "Gloddaeth Street," said the gentleman, and the car rolled on. Several times had the male passenger made attempts to get at. the half-sovereign. He had talwn off his gloves, but without any tangible re- sult, the coin still remained where i)t had' fallen. Now his every movement had b.pn watched by the lady passenger, but quite- unknown to him. Gloddaeth Street corner was reached, the conductor duly an- nounced the fact, and the lady replied with, "Stop at Clarence Hotel." She rose from her seat, and passing her fellow pas- senger she stooped, presumably to fasten a shoe-lace, which she carried out with some ostentation. At length it was. satisfactorily accomplished, and the car' slowed up. As she advanced to the door- way her fellow passenger discovered he had been done, the coin had vanished. He immediately made up his mind and rose to follow her, She stepped lightly from the. car, and he was close upon her heels. The conductor refrained from making any audible remark, but in his innermost mind he had doubtless made his own de- ductions, which were to the effect that he had witnessed the beginning of a love match. Conductors are only human, however^ and their deductions not always to be relied upon. On this occasion he was woefully out of it, for had he follow- ed the pair he would have heard the fol- lowing dialogue: He "Excuse me, Miss, but I wish to claim halves." She: Not for one moment, taken aback by the direct, challenge, replied "I agree, have you change ?" and she handed him a. newly minted farthing!

DRINK AMONG WOMEN. SAD CASE AT RIHYL. At the Rhyl Petty .Sessions on Tuesday Mary Jar vis, wife of a cripple, who said she had had nine children, six of whom were dead, was charged with drunkenness. Inspector James, of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children,, said he had to report the defendant, and, her husband lalt, the end of March last, but f before the ciasei came before the Bench a lady pleaded for another chance for them, and when he visited the house again he found it nicely furnished and the children well clad. A gentleman had provided them with a suit, of clothes each. In reply to the Bench, Inspector James said he believed the children would be as well off as they are now if the mother went to, gaol. Asked what his wife's general conduct! was at home, the huisband replied "That's, not a thing to. ask me, sir. I took her for- better or for worse." The Chairman (Mr G. S. Hazlehurst). satid the Bench would take a merciful view of the case, and would bind the woman over in £ 10 and her husband as surety in 25 to be of good behaviour for six months. If the sureties were broken she would be. sent to prison. Mr T. D. Jones (a magistrate) Is iit, not. possible for the police to find out who sup- plies a woman lake this with drink? Some: publican must be responsible for supply- ing her. Inspector Pearson She chiefly gets it. into the house. She gets the neighbours; to gvle it to. her, and she stops men in the. street and solicit,s, dirttnk from anybody. Mr J. R. Ellis (another magistrate) She was refused drink at several places. Inspector Pearson: The police have tried everything. Mir J. H. Ellis: She ought not to be served anywhere. Jarviis, the, defendant's husband, who had gone up to the clerk's desk to. sign his recognisances, probably acting on a hint- from Mr Giainlin, turned round and asked; his wife if she would consent, to be put, on the "Black List," She replied "No. I will not go on the Black L:.slt, I can keep- myself without it. It is very little drink I get; a good deal of it is excitement, and; and I get no food very often."

Next week The Wtalter Scott Publishing- Co., Ltd., will issue a sixpenny edition of the "Ealbiion Essays," which have sold so largely all tlhe world over. Mir George. Bernard Shaw has written a long new Pre- face for the issue. The agitation in favour of restationing a, warship at Holyhead for the purposes of the Welsh ,and Lancashire coast, defence has met with a rebuff from the Admiralty, who have informed the Urban Council of' Holyhead that they do not consider it de- sirable to allocate a war vessel at Holy- head for the purposes of coast defence. -u- _.4