CHOUGH 



157 



Chough. 

 Pyrrhocorax graculus. 



FIG. 54. CHOUGH. | natural size. 



Black with purple and green reflections ; beak and feet coral- 

 red. Length, sixteen inches. 



It is melancholy to think that this interesting and extremely 

 handsome bird has been diminishing in numbers for a long period, 

 and is now become so rare that, unless strong measures to secure its 

 protection be at once taken, its eventual extinction in this country 

 must be regarded as merely a question of time. Formerly it bred 

 in many inland localities in England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland ; 

 but from all its ancient nesting-cliffs in the interior of these countries 

 it has long vanished, and, like the raven, which has also fallen on 

 evil days, is now only found in a few spots on the rock-bound coasts 

 where high, precipitous cliffs afford it some chance of hatching its 

 eggs and continuing the species for a few years longer. 



A few pairs are still found breeding each year on the coast of 

 Cornwall, where it was formerly abundant, and on this account was 

 called the Cornish chough. It also breeds in limited numbers in a 

 few other situations: at Lundy Island, the rocks of the Calf of 



