!33 



HANCOCK PRIZE COMPETITION. 



A RAMBLE IN NORTH-WEST DURHAM. 



F. W. RITSON, 



Jesmond, Newcastle-on- Tyne. 



At io a.m. one bright morning" in the first week in June 1898, 

 I started from Lanchester to have a ramble among the fell-land 

 and woodlands surrounding- the district. My course lay in 

 a westerly direction, and on proceeding" up the old-fashioned 

 village of Lanchester I took the first road to the . left, and by 

 a sharp w T alk soon left the village and its distant sounds far 

 behind me. This road is called the Newbiggen Lane, and 

 during my walk up this road I saw several of the small song*- 

 sters ; the Robin, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, and Yellowhammer 

 were all to be seen or heard, as they flew about amongst the 

 trees seeking- for food for their young. After having- walked 

 about a mile up this road I turned into a field, which leads 

 towards Humber Hill, which I intended to visit, and the side of 

 which is thickly overgrown with Heather. The first field I 

 entered was partially overgrown with Whins, and I had not got 

 very far before I saw a bird rise, and fly towards a copse-wood 

 on my left ; by its chattering cry, and its long tail and pied 

 plumage, I recognised it to be the Magpie, and that he had been 

 up to some mischief. Having reached the middle of the field 

 I raised several Rabbits and a Partridge ; the rabbits all 

 running towards the small fir wood, towards which I was 

 approaching. Leaving the whin-clad field I entered the wood 

 and saw two or three Cushats fly from the trees further ahead, 

 and on looking into the branches I could see two cr three nests. 

 On passing a tall fir-tree I was somewhat startled by a 

 Pheasant rising from her nest, which was placed at the foot oi 

 the tree; it contained fourteen eggs nearly incubated. At the 

 other side of the wood I found another pheasant's nest covered 

 Qver«with leaves and small branches, and was in doubt whether the 

 nest had been forsaken or not, but on feeling it, I found it to bo 

 quite warm. 1 was somewhat puzzled as lor what cause the 

 leaves were strewn over the riest, and I since have learned that 

 the pheasants, when their eggs are nejarly hatched, when they 

 eave their nests throw some leaves over it, so as to render 

 it less conspicuous. A Chaffinch's nest, containing live young 

 birds nearly feathered, I found in a hazel bush aboul ten feet 

 from the ground. On leaving the wood 1 disturbed a Hare from 

 its seat ; it soon made itself disappear through the hedge. I had 



Ooo May 1. 



