AMONGST THE HEATHER AND GORSE. I/ 



spot far under one of the enormous granite 

 blocks that form the smaller of the two crests of 

 which Haytor is composed. Keeping perfectly 

 still, we watched the young birds come out from 

 under the rock and be fed by the old birds, which 

 kept flying up with insects every few minutes. 

 At the least alarm the watchful little creatures, 

 still unable to fly, retired beneath the pile of 

 granite, venturing forth again when the note of their 

 parents told them that all was safe. We have 

 also repeatedly noticed Barn Swallows far on the 

 moor, in the vicinity of the various tors especially, 

 but are unable to say whether they breed there 

 or not. In many of the old quarries the Stock 

 Dove may frequently be met with, whilst the 

 Carrion Crow and the Jackdaw are by no means 

 rare. The Raven, though in sadly diminished 

 numbers, still finds a safe retreat on Dartmoor, 

 and we cannot recall a visit to the locality without 

 meeting with one or more of these bold and hand- 

 some birds. The Grey Wagtail, the Redstart, and 

 the Dipper must also be included in our short list 

 of moorland birds, but in our experience these 

 species are inhabitants of the border valleys rather 

 than the open plateau. To us, one of the most 



