BIRD-LIFE UPON THE CLIFFS. 223 



the Jackdaw can be seen from the beach huge 

 piles of sticks, wedged in amongst the ivy and 

 thorn. This colony formerly consisted of several 

 hundreds of birds, but we do not think the numbers 

 have been quite so large during the past few 

 seasons. Here, again, one or two pairs of Kestrels 

 breed amongst the Jackdaws on the same cliffs. 

 Another bird of the Crow tribe still finds a home 

 upon the cliffs of Devonshire. This is the Raven, 

 a species that has disappeared entirely from many 

 parts of the country. Ravens cannot, however, be 

 considered common round our coasts, whatever 

 they may have been half a century ago. Not very 

 long ago we saw a pair of Ravens near the cliffs at 

 Watcombe, flying across the valley, one afternoon 

 in January, and making a great noise as they went, 

 buffeting and toying with each other. Whether the 

 Raven breeds in these cliffs at the present time 

 we do not know, but the spot is a historic Raven 

 haunt, and has been for more years than the oldest 

 inhabitant can recall. This fine bird also nests every 

 year in the cliffs farther westward, between Berry 

 Head and Plymouth. We had several reported to 

 us during the spring of 1898. Unfortunately, these 

 nests are robbed wherever they can be reached, the 



