A HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE many towns and villages. At Moddershall near Stone a colony exists which usually build domed nests in high trees (Reports North Staffs Field Club, 1898 and 1901). A hatch of five chocolate-coloured jackdaws appeared atWood- head near Cheadle in 1900. 75. Raven. Corvus corax, Linn. Formerly a not uncommon resident breed- ing amongst other places at Dovedale, Ramsor, Cheadle and Dimminsdale as late as 1844, and Copmere near Eccleshall (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1879, p. 6 1 ). Plot in his County History has the following curious note: ' The worthy Mr. Chetwynd in his park at Ingestre observed young ravens to go to bough on New Year's day which therefore must be hatch't in the winter near Christmas, as some also were in Ashmer's Park near Wolver- hampton, an. 1665, by a Raven that constantly built there for many years.' Needwood Forest was also a well known haunt of this bird. At Swythamley where they formerly bred one was shot in 1850. In 1881 one visited Hardiwick Wood near Stone, and in the spring of 1883 one was seen in the early morning on Stoke-on-Trent church tower (Birds of Staffordshire, p. So). In 1894 two were reported from Cheadle (Report North Sta/s Field Club, 1895, p. 47), and in 1898 another was seen at the entrance to Dove- dale. 76. Carrion-Crow. Corvus corone, Linn. Getting rarer every year through persecu- tion by game preservers, but still breeds in a good many places and is common in Dove- dale and the Ham valley. 77. Hooded Crow. Corvus comix, Linn. A casual visitor on migration, recorded from Needwood, Uttoxeter, in 1841 (Garner), Swythamley (1853), on the Trent near Burton in January 1884, near Cheadle in 1886 (Birds of Staffordshire, p. 79), and one in Hose Wood, Draycot-in-the-Moors, in November, 1895 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1897, p. 51). 78. Rook. Corvus frugilegus, Linn. Very abundant, rookeries being numerous all over the county. In winter immense numbers of rooks congregate together and roost in some sheltered wood, scattering during the day for many miles ajsuiid in order to feed and returning to the same roost every night. The average date for the first eggs in the north of the county is about 16 March, for about that time the hens first begin to stay all night at their nests. Pied varieties are not uncommon and albinos have been observed. In 1893 Dr. McAldowie estimated the number of rooks in Staffordshire at over 60,000, but at the present time this number is probably below the mark. 79. Sky-Lark. Alauda arvensis, Linn. A common resident even close to populous towns, but much persecuted by bird catchers and diminishing in numbers prior to the pub- lication of the Wild Bird Protection Orders. 80. Wood-Lark. Alauda arborea, Linn. Local and rare, but may have been over- looked. In Mr. Neville Wood's time it was plentiful in the Dove valley, from which it has now completely disappeared. A nest was found at Eccleshall in 1883 (Birds of Stafford- shire, p. 81), and Mr. E. A. Brown says it has occurred near Burton. Mr. James Yates records it at Sugnal (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1879, p. 62). [Crested Lark. Alauda cristata, Linn. Included in Sainter's list, but can scarcely be given a place in our local fauna without further evidence.] 8 1. Shore Lark. Otocorys alpestris (Linn.) One occurrence only of this rare lark has been noted, a specimen having been shot at Enville near Dudley on 17 December 1879 (Report North Staffs Field Club, 1900, p. 53). 82. Swift. Cypselus apus (Linn.) Locally, Squealer. A summer migrant arriving in May, but nowhere abundant. Dr. McAldowie is of opinion that this species must have been less plentiful two centuries ago on the strength of the following passage from Plot's History of Staffordshire : ' Of unusual small birds here are also several . . . such as the Hirundo apus or black martin here called the martlet, which I believe is the bird intended by that name in Heraldry and not the Hirundo agrestis sive rustica Plinii, it having so very long wings and so short legs and small feet that it cannot easily rise from the ground unless it be very plain and free from grass ; wherefore it either always flies or sits on the top of Churches Towers or else hangs on other ancient buildings by its sharp claws, from which it falls and so takes its flight ; of these I saw at Shareshill near Hilton and Beaudesert.' 83. v Nightjar. Caprimulgus europteus, Linn. Locally, Fern Owl, Goatsucker. A common summer migrant to our heaths and ferny commons. It is a most valuable bird, feeding exclusively on insects, many of which are injurious to the agriculturist. 148
