DARTMOOR. XXlll 



there would be trees upon the Dartmoor plateau ; but there are 

 none beyond the grove of stunted old-world oaks known as 

 Wistman^s Wood^ and tree-frequenting birds are consequently- 

 absent ; the hill-sides are bleak and bare, strewn in places with 

 great blocks of granite^ and the only shelter afforded the sportsman 

 who may be caught by a sudden tempest is offered by the noble 

 clumps of Flowering Fern [Osmunda regalis) which grow in some 

 of the hollows. So cold and desolate is the whole district of the 

 Forest, so little bird-food can be procured from its peaty swamps, 

 that it is not surprising that birds give it a wide berth, and pass 

 beneath it either on its northern or southern side. Our conclusion 

 is that Dartmoor, wild and extensive as it is, as a bird-haunt 

 possesses but little interest. Nevertheless, it plays an important 

 part with respect to our Devon Ornis as a distributer of migrating 

 birds. Rising like a barrier on the south-west of the county, it 

 presents its bleak heights to the flights approaching from the 

 south-east on their way to the north-west. It is well known that 

 birds on their migrations shun any opposing highlands, and thus 

 the advancing sti'eams of birds deflected from the Dartmoor ranges 

 turn south-Avest, and scatter over the warm and sunny South 

 Hams, and along the numerous sheltered estuaries running in 

 from the English Channel. 



In like manner birds approaching from the north and north- 

 east are diverted, and taking a more westerly course follow the 

 Tamar Valley to Plymouth Sound, and become dispersed on the 

 south Cornish coast and over the Land's End district; or coming 

 down the Exe valley sweep round Dartmoor to the South Hams. 

 Tlie absence in North Devon of stragglers from the south of Europe, 

 which have frequently occurred in the south of the county, and 

 the greater number of American species whicli have been obtained 

 in North Devon and in the South-west of Cornwall are due to the 

 influences exerted by Dartmoor u])on the course of migrating birds. 



In October large flocks of Fieldfares frequent the edges of the 

 Moor, and, as setters will always own their scent, are wont to 

 irritate the Snii)c-shootcr, and in the autumn Land-Hails arc 

 sometimes numerous around the bogs. \\\ the winter a few 

 small trips of Golden Plover may be found on the hill-tops. The 

 sportsman who, duly furnished with a Duchy licence, rambles 



C 



