218 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



Family CORVID^E. 



Somersetshire appears to claim all the nine species 

 of Corvidse at present included in the British list, 



CHOUGH, Fregilus graculus. The present species 

 appears to be almost or entirely extinct in this 

 county : the well-known sign of the " Three 

 Choughs " at Yeovil would perhaps lead one to sup- 

 pose that these birds had at one time been common 

 in that neighbourhood : they have certainly now 

 ceased to exist there, and have I believe generally 

 throughout the county, * except a few partially tame 

 ones kept by Sir Alexander Hood at St. Audries. 

 In the beginning of April in this year (1868) a pair 

 of these birds made their appearance on Mr. Bisset's 

 lawn at Bagborough, close by the Quantock Hills, 

 and seemed disposed to build in the church-tower 

 close by, as they were seen about there for 

 three or four days : had they not unfortunately been 

 shot they in all probability would have done so, 

 more especially as there are no Jackdaws there to 

 molest them, they having all been destroyed by the 

 predecessor of the keeper who shot the Choughs. 



* I have lately been informed that until a very few years 

 ago these birds bred regularly on the cliffs near Minehead, 

 but that one year their nests were destroyed by some masons 

 who were employed about the harbour works, since which 

 time the birds have never returned to their old quarters. 



