236 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



only a single titlark was observed, where in September 

 hundreds had been seen. 



The grey-backed crows are at this season most inimical 

 to sport. They hunt the heather as regularly as a setter 

 and put up every grouse they can find, checking their 

 flight whenever they come over a game-bird, apparently 

 to see if it is wounded. Why unwounded game should 

 display such fear of the crows (for the latter are incapable 

 of injuring them) is not apparent. Even rooks make 

 feints at grouse which invariably put the latter up. 



Rooks are very fond of a feast on grouse when pro- 

 curable, and daily hunt the whole line of the old coach- 

 road to Edinburgh which crosses the 'Border at Carter- 

 fell, and along which the telegraph-wires are stretched. 

 This line carries no less than twenty-five wires, a perfect 

 death-trap for birds, and the destruction it causes is 

 incredible. The twenty-five wires cover so much space, 

 and being fixed at exactly the usual height of the llight 

 of game (and especially of their "morning flight," when, 

 in the grey dawn, the wires are invisible) that they cannot 

 fail to effect grievous damage, and occasionally a pack is 

 cut down by wholesale. This is going on at all seasons, 

 and at times the roadside is strewn with remains. Every 

 morning at break of day come out marauding bands of 

 rooks from the lowland woods, reconnoitring the road- 

 side and feasting on the dead and dying. 



To convey some idea of the mischief wrought by these 

 w r ires, and the cruelty and ceaseless suffering they inllict 

 on the moor-birds, I quote one extract from my shooting- 

 diary : — -" October 6th. — Found to-day four grouse severely 

 damaged by the wires. Two were already dead and pulled 

 to bits by the crows. A third had evidently received 

 his wound late the previous evening, for the blow had 



