Habits of the Jackdaw. 395 



the inner parts of the nest. But why should the jackdaw 

 deposit a large heap of strong sticks in the hole which is 

 already calculated to support every kind of material proper 

 for a nest ? Then, again : how the act itself of introducing 

 those apparently useless sticks causes us to suspend our judg- 

 ment, before we finally conclude that the bird is endowed with 

 any sort of reasoning superior to what is commonly deno- 

 minated the instinct of brutes ! You may see the jackdaw 

 trying, for a quarter of an hour, to get a stick into the hole ; 

 while every attempt will be futile, because, the bird having 

 laid hold of it by the middle, it is necessarily thrown at right 

 angles with the body ; and the daw cannot possibly perceive 

 that the stick ought to be nearly parallel with its body, before 

 it can be conveyed into the hole. Fatigued at length with 

 repeated efforts, and completely foiled in its numberless 

 attempts to introduce the stick, it lets it fall to the ground ; 

 and immediately goes in quest of another, probably to expe- 

 rience another disappointment on its return. When time and 

 chance have enabled it to place a quantity of sticks at the 

 bottom of the hole, it then goes to seek for materials of a 

 more pliant and a softer nature. 



The shrill and quickly repeated notes of the jackdaw, 

 especially during incubation, are far from being unpleasant 

 to the ear which is accustomed to rural sounds ; but very few 

 people have an opportunity of paying attention to them, as 

 this bird is by no means a general favourite with man. It is 

 commonly accused of sucking eggs : but eggs form no part 

 of its diet, otherwise it would be a bad neighbour here ; and 

 ringdoves, house-doves, wagtails, fowls, and ducks would 

 wish it far away. It is vastly fond of peas and cherries. 

 When these are done, the jackdaw repairs to the pastures, 

 where it devours an incredible number of insects. 



After the young have left the nest, they join the rooks, 

 and roost with them in the surrounding woods till near the 

 autumnal equinox ; when both rooks and jackdaws regularly 

 retire at nightfall to the eastward of this place, in immense 

 flocks, and return to the westward every morning for the 

 ensuing half year. 



The jackdaw lays from four to six eggs, varying very 

 much in colour, and often in size and shape. When pro- 

 tected, it will build its nest in holes not above six feet from 

 the ground, where people are passing and repassing every 

 hour of the day. If you take away the eggs, and substitute 

 those of magpies, the bird will hatch them, and rear the 

 young ones with great care and affection. 



The plumage of the jackdaw is black, with shining silvery 



