THE CHOUGH 



(Pyrrhocorax gracidus) 



FROM causes that baffle all conjecture to explain them, this 

 handsome rock-bird is gradually becoming rarer and rarer in 

 this country. Formerly it had its noisy colonies on many an 

 inland cliff, but at the present day it only frequents a few 

 favoured localities on the rock-bound coasts. It may be that 

 the Jackdaw is slowly driving out the Chough, or the spread 

 of nineteenth-century civilisation is too much opposed to its 

 retiring habits and love of solitude. Whatever be the cause 

 of its disappearance, we have now to repair to the wildest and 

 most inaccessible parts of the rock-bound coasts if we wish to 

 see the handsome Chough at home. The Chough lives in 

 societies like the Jackdaw, and many of its habits are very 

 similar to those of that well-known species. It is one of the 

 greatest of ornithological pleasures to sit upon the top of 

 some ocean cliff, or find a resting-place on its rugged sides, 

 and watch the various birds around you. By very force of 

 contrast the Choughs claim your attention first. They are 

 such conspicuous objects, flying to and fro along the face of 

 the mighty cliffs, their glossy black dress in strong contrast 

 to the fluttering snow-white Gulls, the deep blue sky, and 

 the lime and chalk of the rocks. As they play and buffet 

 each other in the air, or fly quickly past, the long bright red 

 bill is very conspicuous and serves to identify the species at 

 a glance. The note is very similar to that of the Jackdaw, 



