BIRDS OF NORTH-EAST NORTHUMBERLAND. 129 



Proceeding from Bates' Island the coast-line becomes high 

 and rocky, and two small bays are carved out in it, with a 

 stretch of sand at their extremities. Thus three bold points 

 are formed, which jut out some distance into the sea, and each 

 has its stretch of seaweed-covered rocks before and on both 

 sides of it. On the cliffs at the north-west corner of the most 

 northern of these two bays is the village of Seaton Sluice. 

 Here an artificial passage has been cut to afford ingress to 

 boats up the Holywell Burn, when the village was a flourishing 

 port many years ago. The natural mouth of the stream runs 

 into the sea a little further along the coast. These two passages 

 form an island, on which were built one or two houses of the 

 village. The water at the mouth of this burn is the haunt of 

 any ducks which may be about, as they feed on the substance 

 brought down by the stream. 



Holywell Dene is the largest valley in the district, and 

 extends for about two miles inland, being about four hundred 

 yards wide at the broadest part. The stream, which in former 

 years was pure water, is now stained a filthy brown by the mine 

 workings at the top. If we follow it up from Seaton Sluice, 

 after leaving the village, we find the banks very low, and the field 

 by its side full of small pools of thick black water. To this 

 Snipe and other waders have been known to resort, and by the 

 spongy nature of the ground there ought to be a sufficiency of 

 food for them. About a quarter of a mile above the town the 

 valley becomes wooded, and continues so to the source of the 

 stream. The trees are chiefly beech, some of them very fine 

 specimens, and during summer they afford ample shelter to 

 such small birds as may venture there. Unfortunately at that 

 time of year this valley is the constant haunt of "trippers," 

 chiefly on Saturdays and Sundays, who climb trees, harry the 

 nests, trap and snare the old birds when possible, and make 

 things generally disagreeable for them. Once things were diffe- 

 rent, and one could wander through the woods in the height of 

 summer, meeting with no life but that which flew or crawled. 



On the right of the dene, standing among some more beeches, 

 is Delaval Hall, the former seat of the family of that name. If 

 there is ever any large bird, such as a Buzzard or Eagle, in the 

 neighbourhood, it seeks the seclusion of these woods, only to be 



