CHOUGHS 83 



the same, I have seen a Chough's nest close to that 

 of a Black Guillemot, and to those of a few Herring- 

 Gulls. Quite often, however, a "Hoodie," Kes- 

 trel, Rock-Dove, or Shag (sometimes all four) 

 has its home close to that of a Chough ; sometimes 

 a Peregrine or Raven is a near neighbour. 



The nest itself, not invariably built at the 

 extreme end of the selected cavity, though rarely 

 quite visible from the entrance (unless, of course, 

 you are looking at one on a ledge inside a cave), is 

 composed of sticks or heather (and chiefly fine 

 heather), or both, according to locality, withered 

 rush-grass, and occasionally a flake or so of moss, 

 lined with rather fine rootlets, and then masses of 

 wool with occasional scraps of hair or any fur that 

 is procurable : in one nest I found quantities of 

 fox's fur. I have, however, on one occasion only 

 found odds and ends to wit, a fragment of sacking 

 adorning a nest : Jackdaws, it will be remem- 

 bered, almost habitually litter their home with such 

 rubbish. The whole structure, if rough, untidy, 

 and rather flat, is compact and firmly wedged into 

 its site, and considering, for the bird's size, that 

 remarkably small fissures or cavities are often 

 chosen, the amount of material used is sometimes 

 marvellous. Once, however, I found a tenanted 

 nest fashioned of lining alone, yet close by indeed, 

 well nigh touching it was the alternative site, 

 which was of normal construction. Paired for life, 

 Choughs frequently patronize the same nest year 



G 2 



