138 Ritson: A Ramble in North-West Durham. 



from almost at my feet, and ran along- amongst the under- 

 growth with a rapidity quite astonishing-. The Kestrel I saw 

 flying- over the fir tree tops ; every now and then turning with 

 his head to the wind, he would hover for a few seconds without 

 moving" his wings. This he continued for a long distance, then 

 with a sudden swoop to the ground he was lost to sight. The 

 Weasel I found was lying curled up in a circular fashion at the 

 foot of a tree, and on my approach took to his heels, disappear- 

 ing into a wall close by. And now I determined to start for 

 home, this time by way of Browney Burn, which is a streamlet, 

 a tributary of the Wear, here and there diversified with over- 

 hanging willows and sedgy banks. In order -to reach the 

 Browney I had to- cross a large heathery field, in some places 

 boggy and sedgy, in others dry and hard. , Leaving the wood 

 and turning sharply to the left, I walked along the heather in 

 search of anything which might be of interest to mei I had 

 not proceeded far when a bird flew out of a clump of heather 

 on my right-hand side, dark in colour, and with a wavering 

 flight. I took the bird to be a Nightjar, and on going to the 

 place from whence it flew I was convinced that it was that bird. 

 After a little search I found the full complement of eggs, lying 

 on what was supposed to be the nest, but which was in reality 

 simply a flattening down of the heather and grass. So closely 

 do these birds harmonise with their surroundings, that on 

 another occasion when I came across two young birds on 

 H umber Hill quite accidentally I could hardly believe my eyes; 

 they were, in fact, the exact colour of the heather upon which 

 they were lying. This same day when I was climbing the fence 

 to get to the burn I found a Nightjar resting on the railing 

 which skirted the wood. Lying full length upon it, it thus so 

 materially lessened its chances of discovery as almost to be 

 invisible, and I would never have thought it anything else 

 but a piece of wood had it not moved slightly as I was getting- 

 over the railings. At the lower end of this field, near a marshy 

 stretch of land, I flushed a Snipe, which, after its usual darting 

 flight, rose above my head, making a peculiar noise with its 

 wings as it flew. I searched for the nest, but was unsuccessful. 

 Several Peewits were also flushed, and I found two or three young 

 birds, one of which presented one of the most peculiar and 

 humorous sights I have ever seen. At first I could see nothing' 

 but a piece of shell moving ; then on going nearer I saw a little 

 head and fluffy neck. Picking it up I found the young Peewit 

 had been wandering about with half its shell on. I released it, 



Naturalist, 



