THE RETROSPECT, J 41 



on a ledge of rock, some twelve or fourteen feet above the water, in a 

 cavern near Pradnack Head, and was in construction very similar to that 

 of the Jackdaw. They breed later in the season than the other Corviduc^ 

 and I imagine rear but one brood in the year. Their actions when un- 

 disturbed are very sprightly and entertaining. I have watched one with 

 a glass for a long time climbing about a stone wall, hanging by its 

 claws, often with its head downwards, exploring with its long bill the 

 crevices between the stones, which no shorter instrument could get at. I 

 have heard that when tame, their love of mischief of every kind far 

 eclipses that of either Magpie or Jackdaw. The farmers on the north 

 coast accuse them of pulling up their wheat, and do their best to shoot 

 them, the endeavour being however, fortunately for the bird, not often 

 crowned with success. It would be interesting to ascertain what makes 

 the Cornish Chough so essentially a sea-cliif bird, for that such it is 

 appears certain j here in Cornwall, at all events, it never, I believe, breeds 

 anywhere elsej probably marine insects form a principal part of its food. 

 — S. W. Jenkin, Liskeard, March 27th., 1856. 



Common Frog. — Several Common Frogs took up their winter quarters 

 this last winter in a branch of a level in the mines in our neighbourhood, 

 which had not been in working for some time before, three hundred yards 

 in from its mouth where they entered. At Christmas, on seeing the 

 light of the candle, they seemed, though it was keen and cold at the 

 outside of the mine, to be very lively, and moved about as if in their 

 natural haunt. The place chosen by these amphibious friends was a still 

 water, with a soft sludge at its bottom two or three inches deep; and 

 curious to say, when the month of March arrived, they began to obey 

 the instinct of Nature, by retracing their steps back again to their old 

 haunts to enjoy the warm and bright rays of a March sun. — Robert 

 Daykin, Hurst, near Richmond, Yorkshire, April 7th., 18o6. 



€\t lUtrnspwt. 



The "Great Unknown" Hawh. — "Having been much engaged, my report 

 on the engraving which you kindly sent me of the Hawk in your posses- 

 sion, has been delayed longer than I could have wished. I will, however, 

 now give you my opinion as far as the portrait and description of the 

 bird enable me to form one. 



1st. — I think it probable that the bird is in the plumage in which it 

 quitted the nest; but I think I can perceive in the engraving a tint of 

 blue on some portion of the back, which is probably an indication of the 

 bird's having been about to assume its second plumage at the time when 

 it was killcuj. 



