136 Ritson : A Rcwnble in North -West Durham. 



now nearly mid-day sun. Picking it up I put it in my box for 

 a specimen. So pleased was I in obtaining this reptile that it 

 became my chief anxiety to get it home safely that day. Now 

 turning towards the side of the field I started a Fox, which, 

 like the snake, had been basking ; it slunk away, never looking 

 behind it until it reached the hedge ; then giving a sharp glance 

 in my direction to assure itself that no one was in pursuit, it 

 leisurely went through and made for the woods to the left. In 

 an old knarled Ash on the hill-side I saw a Titmouse's nest in 

 a hole in the trunk. Sitting down I watched the birds as they 

 entered and came out from their home. Creeping up the tree 

 trunk the mother bird would secure a few insect larva; or grubs, 

 then would enter, and immediately a faint squeaking noise 

 would be emitted by the young birds all eager to be first fed. 

 In the remains of an old dry wall, all overgrown with moss and 

 ferns, I found a Common Wren's nest, situated in the dead 

 leaves of a fern which was growing from the wall ; constructed 

 of fern fronds, moss, and lichen, it presented quite a safe retreat, 

 it being almost inconspicuous from the fact that the dead 

 growths of last year hung over and completely hid it. All the 

 while I was looking at the nest the hen-wren kept chirring 

 about from twig to twig of the surrounding Brackens. As I 

 was leaving the field I found a Blackbird's nest in a whin bush, 

 whilst quite near to it was a Thrush's nest, also in a whin bush 

 about three feet from the ground. They both contained young; 

 the young of the thrush forsook the nest as I was looking at them. 



Leaving now Humber Hill I crossed the road, and made for 

 the fir woods of Woodland's Estate. In order to reach this, 

 one has to cross over four heather-clad fields, and on this 

 occasion I only observed a Curlew rise and fly away towards the 

 left. The first wood I entered on this occasion is plentiful in 

 Squirrels, and even now as I approached I saw one scamper 

 along the ground at the wood's edge, spring on to the railings 

 skirting the wood, and from thence on to the nearest fir tree, to 

 hide himself in the higher branches. When I came to the tree 

 I saw him clinging to the trunk, uttering a peculiar noise as if 

 he had cold, then all of a sudden, as if he thought I was tco 

 near to him, he bounded on up the tree, springing" from branch 

 to branch with the greatest agility ; then, when he had reached 

 a high branch, he stopped, stuck his tail upon his back, pricking 

 up his ears and turning his head slightly to one side he watched 

 me until I moved off. Not having gone more than a few yards 

 I saw two more scampering along the high branches to hide 



.Naturalist, 



