21 



us annually; the latter, I am happy to think, in gradually and 

 steadily increasing numbers. The bird is seldom seen far from 

 water; makes his nest in hollow trees; his pied black and white 

 plumage give him somewhat the look of a magpie in miniature. 

 The Raven, already referred to, still manages to exist, though his 

 nesting places are few and far between ; and they are sedulously 

 sought out and persistently robbed of eggs or young. The Carrion 

 Crow breeds in secluded woods. Of Jackdaws we have enough 

 and to spare. At Yew Crag, over Ullswater, is a large colony of 

 these birds, several hundred pairs breeding every year, building 

 their nests in the crevices of the precipice, or impudently appropri- 

 ating the numerous rabbit burrows with which the place abounds. 

 It is indeed a complete "jackery." The Jay is not unfrequent in 

 the lower woods ; he is a very pugnacious fellow, and suffers no 

 intruder to approach his home. I have seen a pair of them quite 

 overmaster a pair of Buzzards, and after a noisy and obstinate 

 conflict — in which the buzzards constantly had the worst of it and 

 retreated for other than strategetic reasons — they were driven 

 entirely from the woods which overlook the well-known Stybarrow 

 rocks. The Starlings are also numerous, although they suffered 

 very severely in the hard winters of 1878-9 and 1880-1. This 

 season large flocks have remained with us up to the present date. 



Of the Fringillidas, that sweet little favourite the Goldfinch, has 

 sadly declined in numbers of late years, though I regard it as a 

 hopeful sign that several pairs of them are now in my immediate 

 neighbourhood. The Siskin now and then comes to feed on the 

 seeds of the alder, and is indeed rarely seen except when engaged 

 in foraging among its catkins. I hardly think the Linnet and the 

 Redpole so common as they once were ; possibly the abandonment 

 of tillage is responsible for the change, "popple" being deficient 

 in supply. Occasionally one sees a Brambling or a Snow-bunting in 

 winter. Some tourist has written to say that Skylarks are seldom 

 seen about the Lake country. Except in very elevated regions this 

 opinion is without foundation. The Bullfinch is not unusually 

 seen amongst us ; and breeds in the upland woods, not caring 

 seemingly to approach too closely to the habitations of men during 



