78 FIELD-STUDIES OF RARER BIRDS 



other in slow, stately spirals, or soar head to wind, 

 in this way mimicing a favourite habit of the Raven 

 and many of the raptors. 



Coming to its normal flight, the Chough 

 employs two distinct modes. One is where it 

 progresses by a succession of leisurely flaps and 

 glides; the other, which is frequently a continuation 

 of the first, by a series of big, spasmodic dives or 

 inverted arcs, the wings being most tightly shut 

 at the bottom of each dip. On the ascent of the 

 curve the bird nearly always cries kwaar, and from 

 time to time, especially during a slanting dive of 

 several hundred feet to the cliff beneath, a leg is 

 dropped hurriedly, as if balance had momentarily 

 been lost. Choughs are most noisy and active 

 towards evening. 



Although at a distance the Chough's flight 

 slightly recalls that of the Jackdaw, especially to 

 the tyro, it is ever more buoyant, soaring and 

 vigorous. The wings are longer and more curved, 

 while the primaries all stand out more distinctly; 

 and, of course, once the characteristic, diving flight 

 is witnessed, confusion is impossible and un- 

 forgivable. Moreover, although the two species 

 sometimes inhabit the same area, they certainly 

 rarely breed on quite the same range of cliff, though 

 in co. Waterford I have noticed such a peculiarity. 

 On the wing then, the Chough to me is 

 suggestive of a miniature Raven fined down in 

 every conceivable way, a likeness which is further 



