94 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
Famiry CORVIDA. 
RED-BILLED CHOUGH. 
PyrrHocorax GRacuLus, Linn. 
Pl. XIV., fig. 20. 
Geogr. distr.—Occurs locally in Central and Southern Europe; 
eastward as far as China, and in N. Africa: in Great Britain it 
frequents the cliffs of the southern and western counties; resident. 
food.—Insects, Mollusca and grain; possibly also reptiles, small 
birds, and carrion. 
Nest.—Externally formed of large and old sticks, lined with roots, 
wool, and hair. 
Position of nest.—In crevices of rocks, sometimes out of reach 
from the opening. 
Number of eggs.—4-5. 
Time of nidification.—V. 
I have seen this bird flying pretty commonly about the 
cliffs at Clifton, and on the coast of Devon, but have not 
hitherto had the pleasure of taking its nest; its note, 
though somewhat like that of the Jackdaw, is more shrill. 
When kept in confinement it exhibits similar mischievous 
propensities, pugnacity, and preference for certain persons, 
by whom, also, it takes pleasure in being caressed.* 
“Years ago,” says Seebohm, “the bird bred on almost 
all the suitable cliffs of the south coast; but at the present 
day most of its breeding stations are deserted. It still 
breeds in Cornwall, the north of Devon, on Lundy Island, 
and at many places on the Welsh coast, in Glamorgan, 
Pembroke, Anglesey, Flint, Denbigh, and possibly on the 
rocks of the Calf of Man.” ‘‘In Scotland... . the great 
stronghold of the Chough is in the Island of Islay. On 
the west coast of Skye (which locality now appears to be 
its northern limit in our islands), in Wigtonshire and 
Kircudbrightshire a few pairs are still known to breed.” 
In Ireland .... it is still common on the coasts of 
county Kerry, and I specially remember its abundance on 
the magnificent cliffs at Sybil Head, west of Dingle.”—(Hist. 
Brit. Birds, vol. 1., pp. 576, 577.) 
* Montagu’s ‘ Ornithological Dictionary,’ ed. 1866. 
