YORKSHIRE PHYSICAL ASPECT. xxi 



The high lands of Cleveland present bold escarpments towards 

 the Tees valley and the central plain, and a lofty line of cliffs 

 towards the sea, reaching 680 feet in elevation at Boulby. The 

 Howardian hills, below 520 feet in elevation, which separate the 

 vale of Pickering from the central plain, must be considered as 

 a southern spur or continuation of the Hambleton hills, as the 

 western escarpment of the Cleveland range is called. 



The Cleveland fauna is highly interesting. The badger is 

 more frequent here than elsewhere in the county, breeding in 

 several localities ; there is reason to believe that the marten still 

 exists in small numbers in Eskdale, and the last Yorkshire wild 

 cat is known to have been killed on the Hambleton moors about 

 forty years ago. The forest of Pickering once harboured the roe 

 deer, this district being the only part of Yorkshire in which this 

 animal is actually known to have existed in a wild state. The raven 

 was formerly common in the district, and a pair are even now 

 observed in the vicinity of the coast. This region was also the 

 resort of the hen harrier until 1850, to which date a few pairs 

 nested annually. The short-eared owl has also on several occa- 

 sions bred on the moors, and until quite recently a pair of pere- 

 grines nested annually. On the moors the twite breeds sparingly, 

 and the curlew and golden plover not uncommonly. The district 

 has on various occasions been visited by rare stragglers, such as 

 the pine grosbeak and Lapland bunting ; while Tengmalm's owl 

 has occurred no less than three times. 



Vale of Pickering. South of the Cleveland hills is a small 

 tract of low-lying cultivated land, below a hundred feet in eleva- 

 tion, possessing a rich soil, and including a considerable extent of 

 carrs and low marsh-land. This district, drained by the Derwent 

 and Rye, is shut in on all sides by high lands, and was, in all pro- 

 bability, formerly a lake, the outlet for its drainage even now being 

 at times inadequate, and in rainy seasons the lower portions are 

 liable to be flooded for miles in extent. The chief zoological 

 interest of this small district is in the rich and varied fish-fauna 

 inhabiting the streams which converge at Malton the barbel 

 being probably the only one deficient. The Rye is famed for its 

 grayling and trout. 



