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hollows, and looked in vain, when the birds all at once 

 glided round a pinnacle I had just passed. As 

 Ravens sail round a mountain top, one may see their 

 heads turned from one side to the other by the 

 watchful birds, who curiously enough do not seem to 

 have any fear of man, often coming near enough for 

 one to watch their movements quite well. 



My last halting place was on the other side of 

 Cumberland, on the foot of the Pennine Chain. The 

 hills here are of a very different character from those 

 of the T.ake District, being less steep and rocky, and 

 having comparatively flat tops. Nevertheless the area 

 of ground above 2,000 feet is considerable, and by its 

 very unattractiveness to the general tourist, favours 

 the preservation of several species of interesting 

 birds. My first day's fishing proving a failure, as the 

 wind blew down stream and a drizzling rain came on, 

 I secreted my rod, and made m}' way up to the highest 

 hill in the neighbourhood (Crossfell). On my way I 

 saw several Ring Ouzels, or Mountain Blackbirds, 

 which allowed of a closer approach than usual, 

 possibly on account of the dark and wet weather. I 

 saw no Ravens, as I had hoped to do, but instead saw 

 three Plovers, darting round the plateau at the top 

 with a peculiar rapid flight. I tried to identify them, 

 but though they looked like the Golden Plover, and 

 though the^e were the most likely birds of the Plover 

 kind to be there, I could not feel sure. A steady 

 downpour discouraged my staying, and I trudged 

 homewards without again seeing my Ravens. The 

 weather mended that same night, and after one heavy 

 shower the next morning, turned out bright. Again I 

 went fishing and found the conditions perfect, — there 

 was plenty of water in the streams, a thing to be 

 thankful for in August, and a bright sky — such a day 

 as made a trout-fisher thankful he was within'range of 

 mountain brooks. The charming little Dipper, the 



