Page:VCH Sussex 1.djvu/328

 A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 99. Chough. Pyrrhocorax graculus (Linn.) In the Marlcwick MS., written in the first years of the nineteenth century, that observer says, 'I have seen them (choughs) at Beachy Head near Eastbourne,' and he further infers that they w^ere breeding there at that time. Also Gilbert White states that they were breeding there in 1773. They seem to have nested on Beachy Head till 1821, after which date they appear to have soon become extinct. 100. Nutcracker. Nucifraga caryocatactes (Linn.) The first Sussex example of the nutcracker was shot on September 26, 1844, at Littling- ton. It was an adult bird, though the sex was not ascertained (Borrer). A second was shot near Chichester November 3, 1893 {Zoologist, ser. 3, p. 310), and a third is recorded by the Rev. Marmaduke Langdale. This specimen was shot at Chilgrove by Mr. J. Woods on December 21, 1900. All the above speci- mens are assignable to the thin-billed Siberian form. 101. Jay. Ganu/us g/andarius [hinn.) Common and certainly not decreasing, in spite of the war waged against the species. 102. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scopoli). Now a scarce bird. 103. Jackdaw. Corvus monedula, Linn. Abundant everywhere. 104. Raven. Corvus cor ax, Linn. There is little doubt that a pair or more of ravens still nest annually on the chalk cliffs bordering the Channel, but as a breeding species in the interior of the county it has disappeared. Formerly ravens nested annu- ally until 1840 at Hurstpierpoint, but forsook this place for a clump of firs on the South Downs near Wolstanbury Hill, where they were subjected to constant persecution and so soon left the neighbourhood. They also nested irregularly at both Burton and Parham, as well as at Petworth in the high mound covered with firs which stands in the middle of the park. Knox records their breeding there in 1843 ^"'^ '844, and the late Bishop Wilberforce, writing in September, 1849, in the Quarterly Review, says that the ravens had again returned to their old nesting site at Petworth but left it again without rearing their young. Since that date there is no record of the ravens having returned to Pet- worth, and on a recent visit the keeper told me that the two trees in which they used to nest had both been blown down. I saw a pair of ravens flying high over the beach at Shoreham in the spring of 1896. 105. Carrion-Crow. Corvus corone, Linn. Now somewhat scarce owing to constant persecution. Mr. Butterfield says that the carrion-crow has almost completely disap- peared from east Sussex. 106. Hooded Crow. Corvus comix, L,'mn. A regular winter visitor, being particularly common near the coast. 107. Rook. Corvus frugilegus, Linn. The rook seems to be increasing in Sussex. Certainly there are more rookeries in the western portion of the county than formerly, whilst few of the old haunts are deserted. In the south of England it is now not uncommon to notice that certain rooks from every rookery have become more or less carnivorous as well as adept egg-stealers. These birds with ' criminal ' instinct are not numerous as yet in the south of England, although persistent young bird-slayers and egg-stealers have long been recognized in Scotland, and so the depredations of one or two individuals, who in the summer time prefer a flesh and egg diet, are generally attributed to the whole com- munity. One particular rook from Horsham Park used regularly to hunt every morning in May and June for two years all the small gardens near my house, and I believe that he entirely cleared the place of small birds' eggs, except when the owners had built in very dense undergrowth. A common lark which built its nest within fifteen feet of my dining- room window was robbed of her treasures, and on again laying in the same nest was sub- jected to a second visitation. So cunning was this particular marauder that I never once obtained a shot at him, although twice I wit- nessed his depredations. Rooks frequently retain the feathered nostril until the second year, and breed in what was formerly con- sidered to be an immature plumage. 108. Sky-Lark. Alauda arvensis, Linn. Abundant, especially in winter, when im- mense numbers come in from the north. 109. Wood-Lark. Alauda arhorea, Linn. A rare bird in Sussex, but resident in a few places. Sometimes it occurs in small flocks in the winter. no. Crested Lark. Alauda cristata, Linn. A rare autumn visitor which has occurred three times within the county (Borrer). Be- sides these examples, I have in my collection 282