66 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



in which the bird can find seclusion and a suitable 

 nesting haunt. We have often remarked that these 

 moorland Sparrow-hawks quit such areas during 

 winter when small birds are absent. The Rough- 

 legged Buzzard passes over many parts of the South 

 Yorkshire moors on migration, especially in autumn. 

 We have examined many fine examples of this bird, 

 obtained on the Ashopton moors and about Derwent, 

 chiefly birds of the year. The two species of British 

 Eagles must also be mentioned as visitors to the 

 Highland moors, although not exclusively indigenous 

 to them. They are better described as mountain 

 birds, and shall receive more detailed notice in our 

 chapter devoted to the avine characteristics of such 

 localities. (Conf. p. 81.) So also may we remark 

 that the Raven will be dealt with in the same chapter. 

 In Devonshire the Raven is still to be found on 

 Dartmoor one of the few inland localities that it 

 frequents in England nowadays; but elsewhere on 

 the English moors, so far as our experience goes, 

 the bird is but a casual visitant. 



The moorlands, being as they are the least changed 

 districts in the British area, continue to be the re- 

 sort of a large number of shy birds of the Plover 

 and Sandpiper tribe during the breeding season. 

 In some places no doubt the number of these birds 

 is visibly diminishing, but in the wilder districts 

 there still remain sufficient to constitute a decided 



