488 THE CORNISH CHOUGH. 



rump, breast, and belly — white; lesser wing coverts — dark 

 orange ; greater wing coverts — barred with bright blue and 

 black, stiff and glossy. This striking patch of ultramarine blue, 

 including the primary coverts and alula, is the most conspicuous 

 feature in its dress, from which it is called the " blue-winged 

 jay." The quills are bluish-grey ; tail black, shorter, and 

 square at the end ; legs, flesh colour ; bill, umber ; iris, bluish- 

 white ; legs and feet well adapted for perching ; claws, arched 

 and sharp ; bill, slightly curved and pointed, made for offence 

 or defence, shorter in proportion to the magpie's ; but head is 

 larger, and seems more so from its crest. The jay is 14^ in. by 

 23 in. in extent of wings. Some species in the Himalayas agree 

 with our European type, but more gaudily dressed. The next 

 allied species is the Cornish chough, called Fregilus Graculus, and 

 like the two preceding is the only one of the genus in Britain. 

 It also was included amongst the crows by Linnaeus under the 

 name of Corvus Graculus. 



The Cornish Chough or Red-Legged Crow. 



Fregilus Graculus. (Cuv.) Corvus Graculus. [Linn.) 



" As wild geese that the creeping fowler eye, 

 Or russet-pated choughs — many in sort, 

 Rising and cawing at the gun's report, 

 Sever themselves, and madly sweep the sky." — Shakespeare. 



This bird was separated from the crows by Cuvier. In size 

 it is between the rook and jackdaw ; is easily known by its 

 long red bill and red legs. Provincially it is known as the 

 Cornish daw, chalk daw, Cornwall kae, and red-legged crow. 

 As it is only found by the sea-shore near high precipitous cliffs, 

 and not seen about St Andrews, I need not give a long account 

 of it. St Abb's Head is the nearest place where it is sparingly 

 seen. It is chiefly found on the rocky cliffs of Cornwall, hence 

 its name ; also in Devonshire and Wales ; abounds in 

 the Isle of Man, and all the steep promontories of the Isles of 

 Wight and Jersey ; also in the west of Scotland, the Island of 

 Barry, and the Outer Hebrides. Wherever there are high, 

 precipitous cliffs around Britain it may be found. The best 

 description of its dizzy haunts is given by Shakespeare in 



