118 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 



non-accessibility, for there are some parts that would 

 test the skill of the climbers of Flamborough Head, 

 or even of St Kilda itself. The precipitous parts of 

 our coast are locally termed " Heughs," and the 

 " Heughs " of Colvend, Rerrick, Muncraig, and 

 Ravenshall, respectively, were the principal localities, 

 almost equal in extent, where the Choughs formerly 

 made their home. In the order named, which is also 

 their geographical position from east to west, we 

 have tlie relative abundance in which the Choughs 

 frequented them, for it a^ipears that the first-named 

 locality, although it does not seem to offer any 

 peculiar features that would account for the prefer- 

 ence, always supjDorted the largest number of 

 Choughs. Mr. Dickson, who was for thirty-four 

 years tenant of Upper Glenstocking, a farm which 

 is fronted by a range of great cliffs, told me that 

 about 1835, and for many years afterwards, the 

 Choughs ^vere not much inferior in point of num- 

 bers to Avhat the Jackdaws were at that time, and 

 he says the Jackdaws are perhai)S a third more 

 numerous at the present time. Other gentlemen as 

 well qualified to sj^eak on the subject have also 

 assured me of the abundance of Chovighs in Colvend 

 between forty and fifty years ago. Mr. Dickson 

 stated that he never remembered noticing more than 

 six or seven in company — they mostly kept in i^airs, 

 and were considered very mischievous. They pulled 

 up the young kail and cabbage in gardens, pulled 

 the straws out the thatched roofs of ricks and out- 

 houses, and for thievish and mischievous pranks 

 enjoyed almost as bad a reputation as their con- 

 geners the Magpies. After 1860, their numbers 

 rapidly diminished. 



On the high rocks near to Douglas Hall the last 

 pair built a nest and laid their eggs in May, 1865. 

 The nest was taken early in that month by my 

 friend Mr. George Black, then a young lad, and who 

 is now a tobacco-planter in Sumatra. In descending 

 the cliff with his prize, Mr. Black had a serious fall ; 



