CHOUGHS 87 



they are naked and pink-skinned, with leaden 

 markings down the feather-tracts ; their irides, 

 when eventually visible, are hazel. At this age the 

 bill is quite short, perfectly straight, and of a pale 

 horn-colour, the legs are of a pinkish-flesh tint, 

 while even now the little fellows possess a plaintive, 

 chirping cry. After another fifteen days, the birds 

 being then just short of three weeks old, the beak 

 has become slightly decurved, and its colour has 

 changed to leaden-black, except for the tip, which 

 is reddish-horn, fading at its extreme point into 

 pale horn-colour. The gape is creamy-white ; the 

 interior of the mouth, purplish -flesh tint, the soft 

 membrane beneath the tongue being of a lighter 

 shade. The shanks are leaden, with here and there 

 faint traces of orange-yellow in longitudinal streaks ; 

 the feet are dusky orange, though of a brighter 

 tone on the soles. The claws, which are remark- 

 ably strong and sharp, are nearly black, with whitish 

 tips, their under-sides, however, being greyish- 

 white. The irides are greyish-brown. By now 

 the general plumage is well developed, and is sooty, 

 with a decided green gloss in certain lights ; while 

 the curious dusky bristles under the lower mandible 

 near the chin deserve special mention. The 

 creatures themselves are very compact and mus- 

 cular ; like all the crow birds they emit a meaty 

 smell. In another three weeks the legs are red 

 more or less ; the bill, orange-yellow. The 

 autumn-moult (I speak of Choughs in captivity) 



