AVES— JACKDAW. 477 



some more undisturbed situation. But though bad neighbors, the males are 

 good husbands, as they begin to feed the hens before the latter commence 

 laying, and continue to do so through the whole season of incubation. The 

 rook is a bird of great sagacity. Dr Darwin remarks, that rooks are obvi- 

 ously more conscious of danger from mankind than most other birds are. 

 Whoever has paid the least attention to them, may perceive that they are 

 quite sensible of the danger being greater when a man is armed with a gun, 

 than when he has no weapon with him. If, in the spring of the year, a 

 person with a gun walk under a rookery, the inhabitants of the trees rise on 

 their wings, and scream to the unfledged young to cower into their nests 

 from the sight of the enemy. This uniformly occurs, and hence the country 

 people assert that rooks can smell gunpowder. This bird is not a native of 

 America. 



THE JACKDAW. i 



This bird is considerably less than the rook, being only thirteen inches in 

 length. The head is large, and the bill long, in proportion to the body. The 

 eyes are white, and the hinder part of the head and neck are of a hoary gray 

 color ; the rest of the plumage is of a fine glossy black above ; beneath it 

 has a dusky hue : the legs are black. It remains in England the whole 

 year, and in great flocks frequents churches, old towers, and ruins, and some- 

 times, though rarely, even chimneys, hollow trees, and rabbit burrows, where 

 it builds its nest : the female lays five or six eggs, paler than those of the 

 crow, and smaller. Jackdaws are easily tamed, and may be taught to pro- 

 nounce several words : they will conceal part of their food, and with it small 

 pieces of money or toys. They feed on insects, grain, fruit, and small pieces 

 of flesh, and are said to be fond of partridges' eggs. They have also been 

 seen to catch fish. 



1 Corvus monedula, Lin. 



