6S6 



Professor L. C. MiaU, 



[Feb. 18, 



ring-ouzel, the twite, or mountain-linnet, the curlew, and the golden 

 plover, seek all their food on the moor, except in the depth of winter, 

 when some of them may visit the sea-coast, or the cultivated fields^ 

 or even southern countries. The kestrel, blackbird, whinchat, stone- 

 chat, night-jar and lapwing abound on the " roughs " or border- 

 pastures rather than on the moor itself. Owing to the absence of 

 tarns and lochs there are practically no water-fowl. Gulls are hardly 

 ever seen, though they are common enough on the Northumberland 

 moors. Now that the peregrine, golden eagle and hen-harrier are 



Fig. 13. — Transverse section of stem of Ru<h {Juncus conglomeraius), 

 showing the stellate pith cells, and very numerous air spaces. 



exterminated, the chief moorland birds of prey are the merlin, kestrel, 

 and sparrow-hawk. Of these, only the merlin is met with in the wilder 

 parts of the moor, where it flies down the smaller birds. The kestrel 

 hovers over the roughs, on the look-out for a mouse or a frog. The 

 sparrow-hawk preys upon small birds, but rarely enters the heart of 

 the moor. 



To most people the interest of the moor centres in the grouse.- 

 There are many things about grouse which provoke discussion, such 

 as its feeding times, or the grouse-fly, and what becomes of it during 



