70 CORTID^. 



Habits. The Eed-billed Chough is found in summer up to 

 lu,OUU feet and over, descending in winter to 5,000 feet or 

 even lower. It is a gregarious sociable bird feeding together on 

 the ground much like Eooks. They are noisy birds and haunt 

 human habitations and camps as well as wilder tracts. 



(49) Pyrrhocorax graculus. 

 The Tellow-billei) Chough. 



Corvus f/raculus Linn., Syst. Nat., ed. xii, p. 158 (1766) (Swiss Alps). 

 Pyrrhocorax alpimis. Blanf. & Gates, i, p. 44. 



Fig. 19. — Head oi F. graculus. 



Vernacular names. jSTone recorded. 



Description. The whole plumage black with a slight gloss, 

 more developed on wings and tail. 



Colours of soft parts. Iris brown to red-brown ; bill yellow ; 

 feet vermilion, the claws horny brown or black. 



Measurements. Total length about 420 mm.; wing 262 to 

 287 mm.; tail about 180 mm.; ciilmen 25 to 30 mm. ; tarsus 45 

 to 48 mm. 



Distribution. South Europe and Central Asia. In India 

 throughout the Himalavas from Jvohat to Central Tibet and 

 South-East Tibet. 



Nidification. Eggs have been taken in the Liddar Valley and in 

 S.E. Tibet in April and May from nests placed in steep rocky 

 cliffs, either in holes or in crevices in rocks. As a rule the 

 breeding places are almost or quite inaccessible. The eggs differ 

 in no way from those of the European bird. The ground-colour 

 is a very pale yellowish grey, rarely with a cream tint, and the 

 spots are of light brown and neutral tint, rather sparse as a rule 

 but more numerous at the larger end. 



Habits. In summer it is found between 10,000 and 15,000 feet, 

 coming down to 5,000 feet in winter. According to Stoliczka this 

 species is very social and frequently visits the camp of the 

 traveller in Spiti and Ladakh, as it does also in Tibet. It is as 

 familiar and noisy in the neighbourhood of villages and camping- 

 grounds as the common House-Crow is in India. In the breeding 

 season it to some e.xtfut deserts humau habitations for the wilder 

 cliffs. 



