The Evolution of an English Town Part 20

CHAPTER XIV

_Concerning the Zoology of the Forest and Vale_

The great expanses of wild moorland, the deep, heavily wooded valleys, and the rich and well-watered level country included in the scope of this book would lead one to expect much of the zoology of the Pickering district, and one is not disappointed. That the wild life is ample and interesting will be seen from the following notes on the rarer varieties which Mr Oxley Grabham of the York Museum has kindly put together.

On THE MOORS _the Curlew, the Golden Plover_, and the _Merlin_ nest regularly together with other more common species.

In THE WOODS _the Woodc.o.c.k, Pied Flycatcher_, and _Wood Wren_, together with the _Green_ and _the Great Spotted Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs_, breed by no means uncommonly.

In THE MARSHY AND LOW-LYING LANDS _the Snipe_ and _the Redshank_ find congenial breeding quarters.

Many rarities have been obtained in the district such as _the Kite, the Great Plover, the Smew_, and _the Golden Eagle_, and numerous varieties of wildfowl during the winter months. I have seen large flocks of _Crossbills_ and _Bramblings_ hunting for food in the severe weather, and occasionally a small flock of _Waxwings_ appears in the district.

There is a well-protected _Heronry_ in the neighbourhood, and these fine handsome birds may frequently be seen in the vicinity of the Costa, a stream famous for the size and quality of its _Trout_ and _Grayling_.

From a sporting point of view there are few better districts in the north of Yorks.h.i.+re. _Grouse_ are abundant on the moors, and there is some most excellent _Partridge_ ground at hand, whilst certain of the coverts are famous for _Woodc.o.c.k_ during the winter months.

_Foxes_ are numerous, and three packs of regular hounds, Lord Middleton's, Sir Everard Cayley's, and the Sinnington, hunt the country, whilst the old established trencher-fed Goathland pack accounts for a goodly number every season.

_Otters_ and _Badgers_ are far more plentiful than most people have any idea of; but, unfortunately, they are generally killed whenever a chance of doing so presents itself, the trap and the gun being regularly employed against them.

The usual smaller mammals are present in goodly numbers, and present no special or peculiar features, with the exception of _the common Rat_, which has been of late a perfect pest in some parts of the country; the hedge bottoms have been riddled with rat holes. Gates and posts and rails have been gnawed to bits, and in one instance a litter of young pigs were worried during the night. On one farm alone, during the year 1904, over two thousand rats were killed.

OF REPTILES, _the common Adder or Viper_, locally known as the Hag-Worm, is numerous in the moorland districts. It seldom if ever attacks human beings, but occasionally dogs and sheep get bitten with fatal results.

_The Slow or Blind Worm_ is also to be found here, as are the other usual forms of reptiles.

OXLEY GRABHAM, M.A., M.B.O.U.

The famous breed of horses known as the Cleveland Bays come from this district of Yorks.h.i.+re. They are bred all over the district between Pickering, Helmsley, Scarborough, and Middlesborough, and although efforts have been made to raise them in other parts of England and abroad, it has been found that they lose the hardness of bone which is such a characteristic feature of the Cleveland bred animals. The Cleveland bay coach horse is descended from the famous Darly Arabian, and preserves in a wonderful manner the thoroughbred outline.

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