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 Yorkshire. _Grouse_ are abundant on the moors, and there is some most
excellent _Partridge_ ground at hand, whilst certain of the coverts are
famous for _Woodcock_ 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 Yorkshire. 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.
BOOKS OF REFERENCE
Akerman, J. Yonge, Remains of Pagan Saxondom, 1852-55.
Allen, J.R., Monumental History of the Early British Church, 1889.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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