CHOUGH. 29 



fond of being caressed, but, though attached to them, was 

 pugnacious even to its best friends if they affronted it: children 

 he excessive! v disliked, was impudent to strangers, and roused 

 bv the sight of them to hostility even to his friends. One 

 ladv he was particularly friendly w T ith, and would sit on the 

 back of her chair for hours. He showed a great desire to 

 ascend, by climbing up a ladder or stairs; would knock at a 

 window with his bill until he was let in, and would pull 

 about any small articles that came in his way. 



Bishop Stanley say.-, 'on a lawn, where five were kept, one 

 >articular part of it was found to turn brown, and exhibit all 

 he appearance of a field suffering under severe drought, covered, 

 as it was, with dead and withering tufts of grass; which it 

 * soon ascertained the Choughs were incessantly employed 

 n tearing up the roots of, for the purpose of getting at the 

 "rubs. The way they set about it was thus: They would 

 valk quietly over the surface, every now and then turning 

 heir heads, with the ear towards the ground, listening atten- 

 ivcly in the most significant manner. Sometimes they appeared 

 o listen in vain, and then walked on, till at length, instead 

 f moving from the spot, they fell to picking a hole, as fast 

 * their heads could nod;' they were often successful in their 

 earch, so that this account, in two respects, both as to their 

 ood and their going on the grass, militates against that <of 

 Montagu. 



The flight of this species is described as resembling that of 

 lie iiook, but is said to be quicker, and occasionally to be 

 terformecl in airy circles, with little motion of the wings. 

 They flap their wings, then sail on forty or fifty yards, and 

 o on gradually, until they alight.' They do not alight on 

 but perch on the rocks, and their gait is stately and 

 graceful. The feathers of the wings are much expanded in 

 lying, as in others of the Crow tribe, giving the wing a fringed 

 ippearance. 



The food of the Chough consists principally of grasshoppers, 

 ihaffers, ;-.nd other insects, in search of which it sometimes 

 )llows the plough like the Rooks: and Crustacea, but it also 

 'ats grain and berries, and certainly carrion sometimes, 

 ^mailer insects are devoured whole; the larger it holds in its 

 eet to peck at. 'It seldom attempts to hide the remainder 

 if a meal.' These birds drink much. 



The note is shrill, but is said to be lively and not disagreeable, 

 vhich is, however, but negative praise. It somewhat resembles 



