Mr Hardy on Langleyford Vale and the CJieciots. 365 



stream of fresh wood towards the root, and, as the old 

 stumps become more earthy and rotten, roots themselves 

 issue, which finally thicken and coalesce into those clumsy 

 shapes and carry up a tree as vigorous as before. This 

 capacity of renewal is also exercised by the thorns, as maybe 

 seen by the cords and wrinkles on their stocks. A young 

 tree thus takes possession of its ancestor, and is converted 

 into its substance and becomes its substitute. Another in- 

 teresting form of parasitism prevails in the " Back-wood." 

 Not only are the alders renovated by self-growths, but 

 mountain-ashes have seized or incorporated a large propor- 

 tion of the decayed trees : and we find trees half alder and 

 half mountain-ash; and while in spring the latter rises up- 

 right and stately, shaking out its fresh green leaves, the 

 alder, being later in leafing, continues a mere collection of 

 withered branches. In other instances, the mountain-ash 

 has entirely supplanted the original, which is suspended to 

 it by a piece of dead bark ; like the story of the ancient 

 tyrant who chained a dead prisoner to a living one. They 

 .assimilate themselves, even to the shape of the alder but- 

 tresses; for the descending roots follow the shape of the 

 alder, and when the mould is withdrawn they are seen to be 

 buttressed themselves. Other examples of this parasitism of 

 the mountain-ash may be seen in Goldscleugh wood, where 

 they have displaced aged birches. 



Turn we now to the Fauna. There are no water-voles on 

 the streams among the hills. These run too wildly, and 

 supply no refuge. They do not ascend above Earle mill. 

 Babbits abound up nearly to Langleyford Hope. Hares are 

 scarce and lean : I observed only one, on the end of Cheviot, 

 above the fields. When there are any, a frosty winter is said 

 to settle them. Foxes "are numerous. They seldom attack 

 lambs ; but, like dogs, there are some of savage dispositions 

 which do. 1 once saw, near a stream on Hedgehope, what I 

 took for a black shrew ; but it was too nimble for positive 

 recognition. Some birds may be marked by their absence. 

 There are either few, or no, yellow-hammers, buntings, 

 sparrows. Larks are scarce on Cheviot ; a pair now and 

 then may be put up. They love moor-edges of cultivated 

 ground lower down. Lapwings also prefer lower ground. 

 Curlews rise to the back of the Sneer, or cross Cheviot from 

 Broadstruther. Plovers, like the grouse, do not fear the 



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