136 Hon. T. L. Powys on Birds 



43. Common Jay. [Garrulus glandarius.) 



Abundant, and breeds in Epirus and Corfu. I never could 

 discover Garrulus melanocephalus in these parts, though I fan- 

 cied that I sometimes saw, in the thorn coverts of Butrinto, a Jay 

 larger than the common species. I found a Jay's nest built in 

 a ruined fort near Butrinto, — a very unusual locality, I fancy, for 

 this peculiarly thicket-loving species. 



44. Alpine Chough. [Pyrrhocorax alpinus.) 



I only once observed a pair of this species in Epirus ; this 

 was in May 1857, when I was chamois-hunting in the Acroce- 

 raunian Mountains, above Khimara, about forty miles north of 

 Corfu. I have since had many opportunities of observing closely 

 the habits of this very graceful bird, in the mountains of Nice 

 and Piedmont. Often, when I have been crouched behind a 

 rock waiting for a shot at chamois, they would settle on a point 

 of rock or ice within a few yards of me, and hop fearlessly 

 about, occasionally whistling and chattering, as if to inquire of 

 each other what possible business brought me up to their 

 haunts. I was on one occasion surrounded by a party of about 

 a dozen of this species, which kept up an incessant noise for 

 about half an hour, when one of them suddenly turned his head 

 towards the sky, uttered a very peculiar croak, and the whole 

 party immediately crouched close down on the rocks and snow. 

 I looked up, and a Golden Eagle came whizzing past me with 

 wings nearly closed, in pursuit, I think, of a Marmot : the 

 Choughs immediately sneaked off, and paid me no more visits 

 that day. I have seen a pair of these birds go through a sort 

 of game of catchball with a small pebble, tossing it up from one 

 to the other, and catching it in their bills. I have been informed 

 on good authority that the Cornish Chough [Fregilus graculus) 

 is not rare on Parnassus and the Pindus range, but I have never 

 seen it in Turkey or Greece. 



45. Common Starling. [Sturnus vulgaris.) 



This species visits Corfu and Epirus in October, and remains 

 till about the middle of March. I observed immense flocks of 

 Starlings near Port Platca in Acarnania in January 1858. 



