BIRD-LIFE ON THE MOORS IN NOVEMBER. 127 



remain, and in the stormy days of February resort to their 

 rock-fastnesses, and to the most remote and inaccessible 

 crags among the hills, where they commence to nest while 

 yet winter remains in full possession of the land. And in 

 the autumn months the slow and powerful flight of the Raven 

 is not an infrequent spectacle on the lonely moors ; or per- 

 haps its presence is only indicated by the single hoarse croak 

 from a black speck far up in the clouds — sights and sounds 

 which, by the way, to an eye appreciative of what is wild 

 and fitting in Nature, are full of appropriateness and of the 

 genius loci. 



Though I have observed Ravens on the Northumberland 

 moors in all the autumn months, the best view I ever had 

 at close quarters was on November 4, 1882, when we came 

 suddenly on a pair near Elsdon. With heavy, powerful flaps 

 they were endeavouring to beat to windward against a hurri- 

 cane from the west, flying low on the heather. Eventually 

 they appeared compelled to give up the attempt, and drifted 

 away to leeward, passing us again within a short distance. 

 We afterwards found a dead sheep, minus his eyes, lying in 

 the direction they had been making for. In the month of 

 August, in 1884, Ravens were more numerous than I ever 

 before observed. We had had, locally, a sharp attack of Grouse 

 disease (in its sudden or virulent form), and the numbers of 

 dead Grouse lying about the fells had perhaps attracted the 

 Ravens from more fortunate moors at a distance. I saw a 

 Raven, an adult female, shot on Hudspeth, Northumberland, 

 September 6, 1879 ; its effigy is now in the Sunderland 

 Museum. 



During November, parties of small Gulls occasionally 

 appear, flying across the moors — probably Black-headed Gulls 

 paying an interim visit to their inland breeding-places, as 

 Rooks assemble at the rookeries at the same season. The 

 Lesser Black-backed Gull also appears now and then, and, 

 with his wide stretch of wing and boldly-defined plumage, 

 forms a strikingly conspicuous object in the moorland scene. 



Another visitant characterestic of this season is the Short- 

 eared Owl. They arrive in this country towards the end of 

 October — the 22nd is the earliest date I have noticed one ; 



