441 



5 



and Canon Tristram writes (Ibis, 1859, p. 292) as follows: — "The Chough is very local, and 

 known to the Arabs by the name of ' Ogreeb Hamraiah ' (the Red Crow). It came under my 

 observation only at two very distant points on the edge of the Sahara, viz. the cliffs of Bokhari, 

 south of Algiers, and the gorge of El Kantara, south-east of Constantine, the key of the desert 

 and the first of the oases. In both these localities I obtained eggs — in 1856 at Bokhari, in 1857 

 at El Kantara. The Chough thus barely gains a claim to be held a bird of the Sahara, not 

 penetrating so far south as his rival and persecutor the Jackdaw, though in winter he descends 

 beyond Biskra to feed, returning to the cliffs at night. It is interesting to observe one of our 

 northern coast-birds in a scene so strangely different, and bearing a similar relation to the Jackdaw 

 as he does on the English cliffs. The Alpine Chough has not yet been observed in Algeria." 

 Mr. C. F. Tyrwhitt-Drake observed it at Tetuan ; and it also inhabits the island of Palma. 

 Mr. F. DuCane Godman remarks (Ibis, 1872, p. 214), "it is singular that this bird, which is 

 so very common in the island of Palma, should not occur elsewhere in the Archipelago. It 

 breeds in the clefts of the walls of the old crater. I can detect no difference between the Palma 

 birds and those I have in my collection from other parts of Europe." 



The Asiatic Chough has been by many authors considered to be specifically distinct from 

 the European bird, and was first described as distinct by Mr. Gould (I. c.) under the name of 

 Fregilus himalayanus, chiefly on account of its larger size ; but after a careful examination of a 

 large series of specimens from various localities in Europe and Asia, I cannot find any specific 

 distinction. In coloration there is certainly no difference ; and as regards measurements, the 

 following table will show how specimens from the same locality vary in size : — 



Culmen. . Wing. Tail. Tarsus, 



inches. inches. inches. inches. 



Hay, Scotland, d,? . . . .1-90-2-4 10-5-11-9 5-5-6-0 ^ 2-07-2-3 



Dorsetshire coast ' 2-1 10-3 5-5 2-05 



Palma, Canaries, d,2 . . . .2-20-2-5 10-2-11-0 5-7-5-8 2-00-2-1 



Kara Hissr, near Trebizond . . 2-1 12"0 6-2 2 



Himalayas 2-1 115 6"2 11 



Darjeeling 195 119 61 205 



Bussahur 2-15 11-4 64 21 



Sikkim 1-90-2-5 11-3-12-4 6-4-6-7 2-10-2-35 



Hwaitai Hien, China . ■ • . 1'98 11-0 62 2-1 



Mr. Blanford gives the measurements of specimens from Sikkim as follows : — Male. Bill 

 from gape 2-3 inches, wing 12'75, tail 6-5, tarsus 24. Female. Bill from gape 2-0-2-3, wing 

 11-5-12-3, tail 5-8-6-8, tarsus 2-2-2-35. And he compares them with a male from Switzerland, 

 which measured — bill from gape 2-41, wing 12'17, tail 5*52, tarsus 2-07. 



As will be seen from the above specimens, those from Scotland and Sikkim vary most, and 

 the largest of those I have measured is one from Sikkim obtained by Captain Elwes ; but another 

 from the same locality is as small as the average of Scotch specimens. 



To the eastward the common Chough is found in suitable localities as far as China. De 

 Filippi observed flocks of this species and P. alpinus at Deraavend ; and Mr. Blanford writes that 

 it is " common in many of the Persian hills. I met with it first between Bampiir and Narmashir, 



