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the nesting period. The Swallows and the Martins are much 

 more common than the Swift or the Sand Martin ; which may be 

 accounted for by the fact that suitable breeding places cannot 

 readily be found. We have few old towers, and fewer sandbanks. 

 The Goatsucker is seldom seen ; where noted, it occurs about 

 trees planted near farm-steadings. I have never succeeded in 

 finding a nest of this species. A stray Kingfisher may now and 

 then be seen about the Lakes ; where, however, I know no 

 instance of its breeding : its galleries could not be sunk into rock. 

 The Creeper is familiar to such as ramble much in tlie woods. 

 How amusing it is to watch the parent birds when training their 

 newly-fledged brood in the duty of circling round the stem or 

 branches of a tree. The Cuckoo abounds. I have seen as many 

 as a dozen individuals in company at a time; they seemed strangely 

 quarrelsome, chasing and hurstling each other about, uttering a 

 harsh guttural cry, quite distinct from the ordinary "twofold note." 

 The Stock-Dove has of late years taken up its quarters at more 

 than one station among the hills, where its low plaintive cooing is 

 first heard at the beginning of March. I was greatly astonished 

 to hear its notes last week — a fact attributable no doubt to the 

 openness of the season. Wood-Pigeons abound ; in early autumn 

 mornings a dozen or more used to come and breakfast in front of 

 my bedroom windows, their morning meal consisting of the seeds 

 of Ranunculus acris, which they picked from the stems with great 

 assiduity. 



Of the Grouse, the Black-cock finds a home in groves or young 

 plantations on the breast of the hills, preferring marshy or heathy 

 ground. The Red Grouse is much more common, frequenting 

 the open heath-clad moors, where its nest may be found at the 

 foot of some tuft of heath, a full month earlier than that of the 

 preceding species. Partridges keep to the lower grounds, a remark 

 which is applicable also to the Pheasant. I have frequently made 

 the remark that the hen pheasant is far inferior to the female 

 partridge as a nurse ; for while the latter is justly famous for the 

 courage which she invariably exhibits in defence of her young, and 

 the ruses which she brings into play in seeking to entice unwelcome 



