THE ANIMALS OF THE CLIFFS 129 



of Celtic tradition ; while de L'Obel virtues. We should otherwise have 

 tells us that the epithet " royal " supposed that it was meant to describe 

 refers to its singular and excellent its stately and majestic appearance. 



XXVI 



THE ANIMALS OF THE CLIFFS 



" Strange things are here of sea and land : 

 Stern surges and a haughty strand, 

 Sea-monsters haunt yon caverned lair, 

 The mermaid weaves her briny hair." R. S. HAWKER. 



'I T 71TH the exception of the marten colossal walls of rock fall sheer to the 

 and the wild cat, all the few foam with only a shelf here and there 

 surviving carnivora of Britain are still whereon the now rare chough builds 

 to be met with in the Cornish cliffs, its nest ; for the most part, however, 

 Seal, otter, badger, fox and polecat the face of the cliffs is slightly tilted, 

 harbour the year through along the giving Nature the opportunity she 

 littoral, sharing its rocky strongholds ever seeks to soften with vegetation her 

 with predatory birds and innumerable severest features, 

 seafowl. These creatures have en joyed And how tenderly and becomingly 

 no protection save that afforded by the she has performed the difficult task ! 

 strength of their fastnesses to which She has dappled with lichen or bearded 

 alone and to the struggle they have with byssus every crag and outcropping 

 made for existence they owe their rock ; she has lined with seaferns every 

 escape from extermination. niche and cranny, and cushioned with 

 The south coast of the county, with thrift or spangled with minute, many- 

 its sandy cones, sunny estuaries and tinted blossoms the springy sward 

 rich colouring, is oftentimes all smiles, that struggles with furze, heather and 

 like Reynolds' personification of com- bracken for mastery of the windswept 

 edy, but the north, with its lofty black steeps. 



cliffs and absence of all but the tiniest But crowded as is the stunted 



havens, is always stern, inhospitable plant life on the upper slopes, it is 



and tragic, warning mariner and lands- arrested at the brow of the grim under- 



man to keep their distance. At Bos- cliff which, summer and winter, knows 



castle, Tintagel and other wild spots no respite from the waves. Ages of 



