AMONGST THE HEATHER AND GORSE. 15 



leave nothing to be desired ; the botanist may be 

 satisfied, the entomologist find much of interest, 

 and the antiquarian derive many pleasures, but 

 the lover of birds must of necessity turn some- 

 what disappointed away. 



From whichever side Dartmoor may be visited 

 the approaches are very similar in general char- 

 acter, and a stiff climb of a thousand feet or more 

 must first be negotiated by the explorer, ere he finds 

 himself upon the undulating plateau of which the 

 " moor " itself is composed. Should the time be 

 early summer, plenty of the commoner birds may 

 be met with on the journey up, but the observer 

 will not fail to remark that as the more barren 

 country is reached these become fewer. Above 

 the upland pastures the Skylarks will be heard in 

 most directions pouring forth a torrent of glad, 

 wild melody ; while here and there from the 

 summit of some wayside bush, or perchance the 

 telegraph wire, the Common Bunting reels off his 

 creaking, rusty song with irritating persistency. 

 But when once the beaten track is left and the 

 rugged moor itself is invaded, one or two more 

 characteristic species will be met with. On the 

 uneven granite-strewn hillsides, especially in the 



