A HISTORY OF DERBYSHIRE 



other occurrences see Birds of Derbyshire, 

 p. 97. To these may be added : one seen 

 near Bakewell, February, 1894 (W. Bouls- 

 over) ; several also seen near Curbar during 

 the same winter ; one shot and another 

 seen near Curbar on December 7, 1895 (W. 

 Storrs Fox). 



75. Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. 

 Locally, Starnel. 



Common in every part of the county, 

 breeding indifferently in holes of trees, ivy- 

 covered walls, buildings and rocks. I have 

 seen the eggs taken from a sand-martin's 

 burrow. A nest found near Ashbourne in an 

 exceptionally mild winter contained nearly 

 fledged young on January 26, 1898 (Know- 

 ledge, 1898). Albinos and pale - coloured 

 varieties of plumage are common. 



76. Rose-coloured Starling. Pastor roseus 



(Linn.). 



This erratic visitor has been recorded 

 several times from Derbyshire. Pilkington 

 mentions the first shot, October, 1784, at 

 Weston Cliff, by Mr. Dawson. J. J. Briggs, 

 in the Zoologist, mentions three other occur- 

 rences, and records a fourth in the Field for 

 1866. One was seen at Allestree by Mr. 

 Evans (Nat. Hist, of Tutbury, addenda, 

 p. 228) and Mr. G. Pullen states that one 

 was seen near Castle Donington, but this last 

 was probably a Leicestershire record. 



[Chough. Pyrrhocorax graculus (Linn.). 



A stray bird shot within ten miles of 

 Sheffield may have been secured within our 

 limits (see F. B. Whitlock Birds of Derbyshire, 

 p. 101).] 



77- J a 7- Garrulus glandarius (Linn.). 



Still fairly numerous wherever woods exist, 

 although much persecuted. Owing to the 

 caution it displays during the breeding season 

 but few nests are found. Although some- 

 times breeding low down I have seen several 

 nests at least 60 feet high in tall larches and 

 firs. 



78. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scopoli). 



Not uncommon except in those districts 

 where the game is strictly preserved and the 

 neighbourhood of the grouse moors. Where 

 not disturbed they are often very numerous : 

 I have counted over twenty in half an hour's 

 walk. Some few nests are to be found in the 

 high straggling blackthorn hedges and are 

 generally difficult of approach. In 1899 a 

 wild hen magpie paired with an escaped cock 

 jackdaw at Fenny Bentley, but though a nest 



was built no eggs were laid, perhaps owing to 

 the birds having been disturbed too much 

 (Zoo/. 1900, p. 430). A cream coloured 

 variety with pale brown markings was shot 

 near Ashbourne in 1901. 



79. Jackdaw. Corvus moncdula, Linn. 



A common resident, sometimes breeding in 

 large colonies and making use of holes of 

 rocks, buildings and trees as nesting sites. 

 Although cases have been recorded of old 

 rooks' nests having been utilized, I know of 

 no instance in which the enormous well- 

 shaped open nest has been found in Derby- 

 shire. In Staffordshire and Shropshire two or 

 three colonies nest in this way in trees. In 

 north Derbyshire the clutch rarely if ever 

 exceeds four in number, but in the south six 

 eggs are not uncommon. 



80. Raven. Corvus corax, Linn. 

 Formerly the raven bred in many locali- 

 ties in Derbyshire, but all are now deserted 

 and only stray birds visit us at uncertain 

 intervals. Most of these breeding places 

 were in precipitous rocks, such as Raven Tor 

 near Ashover, Howden Chest on the Der- 

 went Moors, Cressbrook and Dovedale ; but 

 a large willow in a marsh near Ashbourne 

 was occupied till about forty-five years ago. 

 In 1866 the Rev. J. C. Cox saw two ravens 

 nailed up against the gable end of a barn in 

 Stanton-in-the-Peak Park, and ascertained 

 that they had been shot in Lathkill Dale, 

 where they bred. Between 1866 and 1873 

 he repeatedly saw ravens at the upper end of 

 Edale and at Chee Dale ; also once between 

 Stony Middleton and Eyam and several times 

 near Ashover. Portions of the original nest 

 described by Seebohm (Hist. Brit. Birds, i. 49) 

 were still visible when I visited Howden Chest 

 in May, 1 900, although they must have been 

 there for nearly 40 years. Now and then a 

 raven is seen on the grouse moors : one was 

 reported at Lane End near Derwent in April 

 1900 (Zoo/. 1900, p. 431). Another was 

 observed for some time near the entrance to 

 Dovedale in 1898. 



8 1. Carrion-Crow. Corvus corone, Linn. 



Still manages to exist in spite of game- 

 keepers, and in one or two districts, such as 

 the Dove valley between Thorpe and Hart- 

 ington, is decidedly common. The usual 

 number of eggs varies from four to six, but 

 occasionally nests containing a single egg or 

 two only are found, probably the produce of 

 old and almost barren birds (see Zool. 1900, 

 p. 429). 



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