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THE EDINBURGH JOURNAL OF NATURAL HISTORY, 



the southern parts afterwards. Considering t.he very confined limits usually observed 

 by the Ruff, it is surprisinsr that any of them should have been noticed in Devon, 

 however rarely. One Devon specimen was shot in December 1808, on that fertile 

 source of aquatic birds, Slapton Ley, nhich may serve perhaps in some degree to illus- 

 trate the eligibility of our county for such birds, and species from every class of birds 

 are known occasionally to remain in England through the winter, whilst the main body 

 observe the accustomed migration ; and, on the other hand, some also remain to breed 

 if the position is found ehgible, whilst the bulk of such species retire to other counties 

 or to other countries, wliorn the rearing of young is conducted with certain conceal- 

 ment. These may }iossibiy be cases of altered character of species, but in respect of 

 the rarity of the Uuff in this country, it should be taken into consideration that though 

 it is now restricted to certain of the t-astern counties, it may possibly in former years, 

 when cultivation had made no great advances, have extended generally over a much 

 greater number, our own included. Slapton Ley is a lake of rather large size, situ- 

 ated towards the verge of the southern coast of Devon. By a wise ordination of Na- 

 ture, the birds peculiarly termed marine, or rather some of the species, upon the oc- 

 casion of want in the winter months, divide their search after food between the ocean 

 and inland waters ; besides which, some individuals of these species betake themselves 

 wholly to the waves, or wholly to inland water, roaming for the entire season from 

 spot to spot, or keeping constant to one locality ; conclusive proofs against the notion 

 of instinct being a defined, constrained, and very limited mental operation in brutes, 

 a doctrine adverse also to the history of most species in which instinct is detected. 

 Upon the occurrence then of cold, Slapton Ley adds to its visitors a great variety of 

 shore-birds and pelagic fowls, so that this piece of water alone sufficiently shows the 

 arbitrary nature of making the coast a geographical limit for the marine birds. In 

 consequence of our maritime situation, and the freedom with wliich marine birds pass 

 the limits of the coast, it becomes difficult to state precisely which of the Grallae should 

 be enumerated as belonging to the cultivated districts, and I have allowed myself to 

 be guided in some measure by the Oxfordshire list, because that county is not maritime, 

 but it is very hkply that many birds of the Heron kind which I shall rank as shore- 

 birds are equally entitled to be considered as inland Waders. It should be mentioned, 

 that not only do the shore and marine birds pass the limits of the coast, and obtain food 

 inland, but the land and fresh-water GrallEe are very often in winter, especially if it 

 be severe, found exploring the shores for provender. The Heron, Coot, Gallinule, 

 Lapwing, Golden Plover, Grey Plover, and I believe some other kinds, act thus. I 

 am not aware of any species of the Waders we are now speaking of quite peculiar to 

 South Devon, but the Little Gallinule deserves notice, as having bf en first discovered 

 here ; only three specimens are known, two of these being Devon birds, and the other 

 obtained from the river Ware. 



The last tribe of birds belonging to Oxfordshire, and to the cultivated districts of 

 South Devon, consists of those few web-footed birds which roam to inland waters, 

 meadows, stubbles, kc, or from our own coasts, or which breed and abide wholly or 

 partially in such situations. In order to state the case as near the truth as possible, 

 I have allowed the same number of these birds to South Devon as are found to occur 

 in Oxfordshire ; though, from our adjacency to the sea, those species which in an in- 

 land locality would be stationary, with us change their situation, and again some ma- 

 rine birds of our coast at times repair inland, which in counties remote from the coast 

 are never seen. The following are the species referred to : — The Little Grebe, the 

 Wild Duck, Teal, Wigeon, Grey Lag Goose, Common Gull, Great Black-backed 

 Gull, and Golden-eye. The Little Grebe breeds in all the fish-ponds and small lakes 

 in the county, and in winter very many are seen busy diving in all our inlets. The 

 several kinds of Ducks frequent the marshes and large ponds during winter, some of 

 the Wild Duck, as before stated, breeding with us. The Wild Goose is a frequenter 

 of meadows, marshes, and stubbles, besides the sea co;.st, during the winter. And, 

 lastly, the two Gulls, and perhaps other birds also, part.cularly the Red-legged Gull, 

 make excursions in winter to inland waters and marshes after food, and some of them 

 are known to abide during the breeding season at certain ponds, and other collections 

 of water in the south of this county. We here bring to a close our comparison be- 

 tween the ornithology of Oxfordshire, and that of the South Hams of Devon. We 

 have found a diiference of twenty-eight species, or, excluding the doubtful deficiencies 

 in the Passeres, a difference of twenty-five. It is of course always desirable to trace 

 out the principal features in such deficiencies, and upon examination it is seen, that 

 the proportion of deficiencies in the Accipitres and Grallse is equal. It is here, then, 

 that our county excels in the ornithological department, at least such is the fair con- 

 clusion by comparison with the products of another county, possessing a tolerably ex- 

 tensive ornithological Fauna, and considering the respective histories of the species in 

 which Oxfordshire is deficient, our advantage cannot be set down to maritime position. 



On the contrary, 1 believe the true reasons may be stated as follows: \st. There 



are certain European birds, whose chief situation is in France, Italy, Holland, and 

 othur adjoining countries, but whose range extends to the southern portions of Great 

 Britain, just as the range of others is found to extend from Europe to the northern 

 shores of Africa. There are other species also whose principal station is in Africa, 

 and which migrate yearly into Europe, reaching in small numbers the British Isles ; 

 and since the number of animals generally diminishes northward, the proportion of 

 birds resident in, or migrating to, the southern shores of Britain, will be greater than 

 that of the northern parts. 2dl7/, Montagu states as his opinion, that in the autumnal 

 migration of the long, soft-billed Waders (and 1 suppose other kinds also) from their 

 northern haunts to the southern portions of Europe, they experience in their transit 

 across the north sea, equinoctial gales which gradually drive them to the southern 

 pai-ts of England, so that hence we are more likely than northern counties to have 

 r u-ities conferred on us. 3dli/, This county contains almost every kind of retreat for 

 the various sorts of birds : it is mountainous, well-wooded, and well-watered. 4thli/, 

 In the retreat of those birds which come to this country from southern latitudes to 

 their winter residences, the southern coasts of England offer them a resting place prt- 

 vious to their departure, so that here we see a larger number both of individuals and 

 of species, than the generality of other counties; besides which, many, upon finding 

 suitable abodes and mild climate, are induced to abide with us through the winter" 

 Lastly, the occurrence of some species in this county, which have never been noied 



or but sparingly, in others, must be set down either to accidental causes, or to in- 

 fluences of which we are ignorant. Since (he reasons of our ornithology being so ex- 

 tensive are so various, the species of which we boast as supernumeraries, or as being 

 found here, whilst they are but very sparingly scattered over the rest of England, 

 cannot be exclusively Grallae, or Accipitres, although, as before hinted, it is in these 

 classes that the greatest preponderance is observed ; neither must we be altogether 

 guided by the ornithology of any one county, such as that selected fur comparison, in 

 arriving at conclusions respecting the peculiarities of our own, or respecting the or- 

 nithology of the southern counties of England generally. As we proceeded, we pointed 

 out instances which illustrate the various reasons here given for the extent of our 

 ornithological list. Other cases might be cited, but as our knowledge of their geo- 

 graphical ranges is imperfect, they could be mentioned only with great hesitation. 



A few words on the remaining tribes of animals will close our consideration of this 

 division of our subject. With respect to the Reptiles of South Devon but Uttle can 

 be said, as they do not differ materially either in number or in geographical position 

 from those of most other cou.jties. The Nimble Lizard, Lacerta agilis, is found in 

 plenty on our heaths and commons, but is not confined to these spots, a? I have taken 

 it in gardens, and I have likewise once seen it on the stump of an old tree in a willow- 

 ground. The Dumfries-shire Snake, Warty Eft, Edible Fiog, and Natterjack Toad, 

 do not occur in Devon, so far as my knowledge extends. 



It is not in my power to add any thing on the Fresh-water Fishes, or on the Insects 

 of Devon. A list of Land and Fresh-water Shells of this county has already appeared 

 in this Journal, so that it is here only necessary to remark how singularly well 

 defined are the limits of some species of these tribes, so much so, as to Induce the be- 

 lief that these limits in some cases correspond with the boundaries of soils, or with 

 the geographical distribution of certain vegetable productions on which they feed, 

 though possibly the facts of these cases may after all be quite as inexplicable as the li- 

 mits of dispersion observed by the Nightingale, and some other birds. At the least, 

 however, it will be allowed, that comparisons between the geographical limits of the 

 various productions, mineral, vegetable, and animal, of a given district, would in all 

 probability lend considerable assistance in the determination of the causes of a great 

 number of now unexplained facts ; for the three kingdoms of nature are not merely 

 associated, but intimately connected, and since secondary causes have so great in- 

 fluence on animal and vegetable dispersion, we may not unfrequently discover the cause 

 of distribution of these to rest with the qualities of the sod on v\hich they are main- 

 tained, ai!d still more frequently the phenomena of animal distribution to depend on 

 the nature of certain vegetable products occurring on the spot, or diffused over those 

 tracts to which certain animal forms are peculiar. Again, the selection of particular 

 food by certain of the carnivorous animals, will, in a great number of instances, de- 

 termine with exactness the limits of such species. 



The Crossbill a perma>'ent resident in Scotland. — The Crossbill, Loxia 

 curvirosfra^ is not found in great numbers in any part of Scotland. It remains with 

 us during the whole year, and may be met with in small flocks of from eight to 

 twenty or more individuals, among the pines in the midland and higher districts of the 

 country. They feed most eagerly on the seeds extracted from the cones of the 

 Scotch fir, larch, and spruce, and whilst thus occupied, they keep very quiet, andean 

 be discovered only by the chuckling noise made by their tearing open the cones with 

 their powerful and curious beaks, and the occasional dropping of the cones they have 

 rifled. They always move from one part of the forest to another at a signal given by 

 one of the party that acts as leader, and is stationed on the summit of the tree. They 

 manifest their desire to move by uttering a sharp loud note ; and when the watchman 

 (ibseives any symptoms of impatience among those below among the branches, he 

 takes the lead in uttering his shrill note in a louder and more rapid manner than the 

 others for a few seconds, and on his taking wing the others instantly let go the 

 cones on which they have been operating, and accompany him, flying in a compact 

 body, and uttering their note as they fly along. They often take long flights, and 

 frequently return to a neighbouring tree after making a few circuits. When feeding 

 on the low branches of a tree, it is surprising how little fear they exhibit, even when 

 approached so closely as to be almost within reach of the hand. Having slightly 

 wounded one in the wing, I carried it home and placed it in a cage, with a quan- 

 tity of larch cones, which it immediately attacked, without showing any symptoms of 

 fear, and after helping itself most plenteously, died shortly after, which I attributed 

 to my neglect of supplying it with water to drink. 1 have often endeavoured to find 

 out the nests of these birds in the usual season^ but never succeeded ; and was sur- 

 prised at last on discovering that their broods are all on the wing before their neigh- 

 bours of the woods have set about preparing their nests. I was attracted one day in 

 the end of February, or early in March, during a heavy snow-storm, by the peculiar 

 chirping of nestlings in the act of feeding ; and, on ascending the tree, found five or 

 six young Crossbills, almost fully feathered, and quite vigorous, notwithstanding the 

 severity of the weather, snugly huddled together in a nest composed of small sticks 

 externally, and well lined with matted wool. In mild seasons I suppose they breed, 

 even in this country, during the month of January. They are not entirely destitute 

 of song. I have often been delighted with a concert of these birds perched on the 

 sunny side of a tree. Their song is not loud, but pleasingly varied, a good deal re- 

 sembling that of the Water Ouzel, when you chance to overhear his gentle warbling, 

 as he sits on a ledge of ice, In a frosty winter day. — J. M. Brown. 



A few statements like the above, by persons who have had opportunities of seeing 

 the Crossbills m their native forests on the Dee and Spey, would settle definitively the 

 questions so much agitated respecting the breeding and dispersion of those birds, 

 which, on appearing in the lower parts of the country, are supposed to come from the 

 Continent. The Siskin in all probabihty breeds in the same districts, as it has been 

 seen there in flocks very early in August. The Snow-Bunting has tlso been found in 

 summer on the higher Grampians, such as Benmucdui, Bennabuird, and Lochnagar. 



Many parts of the mountainous and more remote districts of Scotland have as yet 

 merely been cursorily visited, and even some birds known to occur in them, such as 

 the Crested Tit, have never been subjected to minute examination as to their habits 

 and distribution. 



