136 MR SELBY ON THE FAUNA OF TWIZELL. 



met with. The otter also now rarely occurs ; and no recent instance of 

 the badger (Meles Taxus) frequenting his former burrows, has for many 

 years past been observed. The ornithological list exhibits a considera- 

 ble number of species belonging to the first three orders, particularly that 

 of the Insessores, which may be attributed to the variety of the ground, 

 and the extensive plantations upon the property, so congenial to the ha- 

 bits of the majority of its members. Among the Falconidae, is the cine- 

 reous sea-eagle (Hal. albicilla\ as I have twice had the gratification of 

 seeing this noble bird wing his way across the fields, on his route from 

 the coast to the higher parts of the country. The honey-buzzard (Per- 

 nis apivorus) one of our rarest raptorial birds, has already been noticed 

 and exhibited to the members of the Club. Bombycilla garrula, the 

 lonely wax-wing chatterer, I have twice seen at distant intervals ; and the 

 Loxia curvirostra (common crossbill) is not an unfrequent visitant. The 

 Picus major (greater spotted woodpecker) is the only species I have 

 noticed : its visits are short and uncertain, and generally confined to the 

 period of its autumnal migratory movements. The creeper (Certhia 

 familiaris), is however abundant, and resides with us the whole year. 

 That delightful songster the wood-lark, Alauda arborea, has only once 

 been met with. Among the Grallatores, the Totanus ochropus (green 

 sandpiper) and the Grex Porzana (spotted crake) are the only species 

 of rare occurrence. In the class Reptilia, the Anguisfragilis (blind or 

 slow-worm) is frequently seen in the dens, as is also the common viper 

 or adder of the country, which upon examination I find to be the Pelias 

 Berus of Bonaparte, the Vipera communis of Jenyns. The red and 

 dark brown varieties are sometimes met with, which in a great measure 

 I believe depend upon the state or age of the epidermis, as well as the 

 sex of the reptile. 



