CHEPSTER— CHOUGH 87 



CHEPSTEE, possibly a corruption of Shepster, a Starling. 



CHERRY-BIRD, a name of the Cedar-Bird. 



CHERRY-PICKER, the Tasmanian name, according to Gould 

 {Handb. B. Austral, i. p. 565), of a species of Melithreptus (Honey- 

 Sucker. 



CHERRY-SUCKER, a name absiu-dly given in some parts of 

 England to the Spotted Flycatcher. 



CHICKADEE, a North American name for various species of 

 Titmouse — no doubt from their call-note. 



CHICKEN, abbreviated CHICK, the young of any bird, but 

 generally signifying that of the domestic Fowl. 



CHIFFCHAFF, occasionally CHIPCHOP, Phylloscopus collyUta, 

 or ritfus of some authors, the smallest of the three native species of 

 the genus, which are often called collectively Willow- Wrens. 

 The name is doubtless an attempt to syllable the bird's ordinary 

 cry (see Song), and seems to be first found in Gilbert White's 

 Observations (p. 77) published in 1795 after his death by Aiken. 



CHOANjE (xoavrj, a tube or funnel) are the internal openings 

 of the nasal cavities into the mouth, situated on the palate or roof 

 of the mouth, generally between the maxillo-palatine and pterygoid 

 bones. 



CHOK, a name used in the Cape Colony for one of the Eagles, 

 Aquila rapax (Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 10). 



CHOUGH, a bird much better known, generally with the prefix 

 " Cornish," by name than by observation, the Pyrrhocorax or Fregilus 

 gracuhis of ornithology, one of the Corvidm (Crow), and formerly 

 a denizen of the precipitous cliffs of the south coast of England, of 

 Wales, of the west and north coast of Ireland, of the south of 

 Scotland, and some of the Hebrides, but now greatly reduced in 

 numbers, and only found in such places as are most free from the 

 intrusion of man or of the Daav, Corvus monedula, which last seems to 

 be gradually dispossessing it of its sea-girt strongholds, and its 

 present scarcity is probably in the main due to its persecution by 

 its kindred. In Britain, indeed, it would appear to be only one of 

 the survivors of a more ancient fauna, for in other countries where 

 it is found it has been driven inland, and inhabits the higher 

 mountains of Europe and North Africa. In the Himalayas a larger 

 form occurs, which has been specifically distinguished, P. hima- 

 layanus, but whether justifiably so may be doubted. The general 

 colour is a glossy black with steel-blue reflections, and it has the 

 bill and legs bright red.^ Another species, P. alpinus, is altogether 



^ Shakespear's expression, " russet-pated choughs " {Mids.- Night's Dream, act 

 iii. sc. ii.) has much exercised his commentators. Some see in it that "pated" 



