90 CHOUGH 
in the north they are well known in winter, and many 
residents believed them to nest; but I failed to get satis- 
factory evidence, until from inquiries kindly made for me 
by Mr. A. Knox he ascertained that the nest had actually 
been found. Mr. Wm. Douglas tells me that it was placed 
in the ‘ wheel-case’ of a disused mine in a remote glen. 
From another correspondent I have since learned of 
another inland breeding place in one of our larger dales 
several miles from the sea. Here again the ‘ wheel-case’ 
of another of the deserted mine-workings so common in 
Man has been at least three times occupied to the know- 
ledge of my informant. ‘The ease,’ he says, ‘is built above 
ground; I think it will be nearly thirty feet high. The 
water was brought on to the wheel by pillars being built, 
and the race laid upon the top of them. There are in the 
masonry inside the case two rows of holes, which had been 
used for scaffolding when building. It was in one of these 
holes that the Chough nested, about fifteen to twenty feet 
from the bottom.’ 
The works in which are situated these artificial nesting 
places of the Chough have been relinquished by man for 
periods varying from thirty-five to twenty-five years. 
There is some reason for believing that Choughs have 
bred also on rocky mountain-sides in the interior of Man. 
Mr. Clyne of Langness lighthouse mentioned to the 
British Association Committee, according to its report for 
1884, that he found Red-legged Crows numerous about 
Castletown. In a letter kindly written to the author 
Mr. Clyne states that Choughs were at that time frequently 
seen at Langness, much of which is such ground as they 
elsewhere love to haunt. Mr. Clyne looked upon these 
birds as visitors from the high south-western cliffs. During 
my seven years’ residence at Castletown I have never met 
with a Chough near the town. 
