THE CHOUGH 113 



wall-like descent to the ever-restless waves below. In many 

 cases the nests are placed quite close together, one opening 

 serving for several pairs of birds. The nests are, as is usual 

 with hole-builders, rather slovenly put together, made of 

 sticks of various sizes, roots, and dry grass, and generally 

 lined with masses of wool, and occasionally with hair. The 

 eggs are from four to six in number, ranging in ground colour 

 from white, with a slight tinge of blue or green, to creamy 

 white, spotted and blotched with brown of various shades 

 and with fainter markings of violet-gray. They vary consider- 

 ably, both in size and shape and in character and intensity 

 of markings. On some eggs the spots are few and large, on 

 others much smaller and evenly distributed over the entire 

 surface ; whilst occasionally the colouring matter is massed on 

 the large end of the ^gg. The Chough lays its eggs late in 

 May, and from what I have observed of the habits of this 

 species, I am led to believe that but one brood is reared in 

 the year. Both parents appear to assist in incubating the 

 eggs and tending to the young, which are often fed on the 

 pastures by the old birds as soon as they are sufficiently 

 matured to leave the nest. 



