252 NATURAE HISTORY OF EAST CUMBERLAND. 



their caresses. On Scaleby Moss I once found two eggs of the Cuckoo 

 in a Titlark's nest. Another Cuckoo laid an egg last year in a Robin's 

 nest, in a garden at Great Orton, which was duly hatched. The nest 

 and young bird were put in a cage near to the place; a wire of the 

 cage was broken to admit the foster- parent which reared the young Cuckoo; 

 the latter lived sometime afterwards inside of the house, and at last effected 

 its escape. 



In a cleft of a rock I once found, on the 20th. of May, the nest of 

 the White Owl, (Strix flammea,) with four eggs, surrounded on all sides 

 with the young of the Jackdaw, with which it is on friendly terms. 

 One evening a severe battle took place in a Rook's nest which was a 

 little detached from the rookery; a close eye was kept upon them, and 

 one of the combatants flew off and was observed to drop something; upon 

 inspection it was found to be an unfledged Rook, which was attempted to 

 be carried off by the Tawny Owl. 



The Crossbill, so numerous last year in this district, remained past the 

 usual time, and judging from the lateness of the season, that some of them 

 would remain and breed, I searched for their nests, but did not succeed 

 until I met a young man in the country near Cumwhinton, who stated 

 he had seen a pair build. I visited the spot, which was a small fir 

 plantation near Cumwhinton, and found the nest placed on an outside fir 

 containing four eggs; they resemble those of the Green Linnet, but are 

 larger and of a darker shade. The nest was placed eight feet from the 

 ground, fixed between a branch and the butt of the tree; the outside was 

 composed of fir twigs, the inside with dried twitch-grass, and one large 

 feather. This was on the 20th. of March; the Crossbills remained with 

 us until May, when they gradually disappeared altogether. 



In conclusion I wish to advert to the Entomology of the district, which 

 may be considered the most beautiful and most varied of the works of 

 nature. Cumberland is a wide field for insect operations, and produces 

 many scarce and good moths. 



The Death's Head, (Acherontia atropos,) is frequently met with. One was 

 taken at rest upon a stone at Hayton, on the 23rd. of September last year; 

 another was taken from a lamp in Finkle Street, Carlisle; and several 

 others have also been taken in former seasons in this locality. 



We take here Nodua leucographa and Tceniocampa populdi, the former 

 plentifully some seasons: Xylocampa lithoriza is taken from old railings, at 

 rest during the day, in April. The best mode to get good specimens of 

 Notodonta dictcea, N. didceoides, N. zic-zac, N. carmelita, and N. dromedarius, 

 is to beat the birch and sallow in September for the caterpillar. N. 

 carmelita is taken in June from the birch, which is much earlier. 



The Duke of Burgundy, (Nemeobius lucina } ) flies on the loth, of May, 



