370 NOTES ON THE GRAY SHRIKE, ETC. 



Jackdaw, are no doubt found on some of our rocky coasts in considei'able 

 numbers, yet tliey are far more frequently seen in inward situations, where 

 the abundance of timber offers them insuperable inducements for residing. 

 We have, I believe, no authenticated instance of the Chough constructing its 

 nest in a tree, whilst all the remainder of the Corvidce (if the accounts which 

 we possess of the Nutcracker's nidification be coiTcct) build more or less in 

 such a situation. Its handsome colours, active habits, and peculiar cry, 

 render it an object which cannot easily be mistaken or overlooked, and when 

 we consider that our island contains, at the present day, more ornithologists 

 than any other country on the face of the earth, and these ever on the look- 

 out to communicate the occurrence of any rare specimen to their brother 

 naturalists, we must consider, from the scarcity of notices of this kind con- 

 cerning the Chough, that it is one of the most uncommon of our indigenous 

 birds. This was my impression for some time, and was only lately removed 

 by the contents of a letter which I received from S. Clogg, Esq., of East 

 Looe, Cornwall. This gentleman, who from the vicinity of the seacoast to 

 his residence is qualified, in a peculiar degree, to speak with correctness on 

 this subject, says; "It breeds in the cliffs about Port Isaac, Podstone, &c., 

 on the north coast of Cornwall, more commonly than on the south ; although 

 a few pairs may be yearly seen about the Lizard, where, hke the Jackdaw, 

 they breed in holes in the cliffs. In one of the numbers of " Dickens' 

 Household Words " there lately appeared a short paper by a person who 

 once resided in Cornwall, wherein he stated that the Chough was common 

 in the cliffs near Mucrow, and that in the season the young birds might be 

 bought for three or four pence each. Now I believe this to be altogether a 

 mistake, as I know the Jackdaw is commonly called " Chough" throughout 

 Cornwall ; we have a very high cliff close by us, where the Daws breed in 

 great numbers, which is called ' Chough Eock,' and should any one come 

 here in the breeding season, and offer a reward for any number of Chough's 

 eggs, he would soon have an abundant supply of Daw's eggs brought to him, 

 under the supposition that they were those of the Chough ; and it would be 

 no easy matter to convince the bearers to the contrary, they, in their igno- 

 rance, fully believing them to be veritable Chough's eggs." Mr. Clogg then 

 goes on to say, that his friend, Mr. Clement Jackson, during a recent tour of 

 the Cornish coast, obsen^ed numerous specimens of F. graculus. If any 

 correspondent of The Naturalist, who can speak from experience of the 

 habits or nidification of the Chough, will communicate to you his observa- 

 tions, he will add something to the rather unsatisfactory knowledge which 

 we possess of a most interesting bird, and very greatly oblige one at least of 

 your readers. 



Richmond, YorJcsJiire, May Ibth, 1855. 



The Chough is common enough among the cliffs on the eastern part of 

 South Devon, and we should expect them to be so also in Cornwall. — B.E.M. 



