Editorictl Note. 
233 
rose-bent, is tbe heath rush, Jimcus squarrosus, L. ; it is common 
on all the Border moors, and affords a good early bite to sheep 
in spring. Broad-bent, or flying-bent, is the name of the blue 
moor grass, Molinia ccerulea, Moench., which is eaten by sheep 
in the early months of the year, whilst if cut soon enough it 
makes excellent bog-hay. Wire-bent or black-bent is the 
English mat grass, Nardus stricta, L., which is palatable to 
sheep when it first sprouts. Bull’s-faces, bull-snout, or starr 
grass, is the harsh tussock grass or tufted hair grass, Aira 
ccespitosa, L., and is much valued upon the hills, as it stands 
the winter frost well. Tbe well-known Yorkshire fog, Holms 
lanatus, L., is also called midge grass and forms the bulk of the 
bottom or benty bog. Spret and spretty grasses are various 
kinds of succulent rushes, especially Juneus articulatus and 
Juncus lamprocarpus, Ehr., which are abundant constituents of 
bog-hay. The carnation grass. Gar ex panicea, L. (the pink- 
leaved sedge), as well as Yorkshire fog, is known as pry or prye 
grass. It will be noticed that, of the species named, most are 
such as would not be tolerated in ordinary English pastures, 
whilst tussock grass and Yorkshire fog, when they do so occur, 
are viewed with disfavour, and are got rid of if possible. Never- 
theless, it is on the plants that have been enumerated that the 
hill sheep thrive, and it is the scanty subsistence thus afforded 
which in early spring is threatened by the hordes of voles. 
We are indebted for much of our information to a valuable 
report,' published nearly twenty years ago, wherein it is stated 
that the hardy flocks of Cheviot and other sheep bred on the 
higher Border hills retain much of their wild nature, and depend 
almost wholly on natural instinct in seeking their daily food. 
The flock or “ hirsel ” on a large farm forms itself into three, 
four, or more divisions, called “ cuts,” each keeping to its own 
range of pasture, and feeding gradually upwards to its resting 
place for the night near the top. If disturbed in any way one 
of the sheep gives the alarm by stamping with its foot and 
uttering a sort of hiss, whereupon the whole “ cut ” runs away 
up-hill. As winter approaches the sheep are compelled to 
browse upon the spret grasses in the lower lands, whence a crop 
of bog hay has been gathered in the previous summer. Here 
fresh and verdant spots still remain till they become obliterated 
by frost and snow. At this period the sheep are reduced to 
great straits, and fall off in condition. Nevertheless they 
struggle on and eat up every bit of green vegetation they can 
find. “I have often,” says the Ettrick Shepherd, “stopped in 
Elliot, Proc. Berrvickshire Nat. Club., 1873-74. 
