48 . NATURAL HISTORY IBirds. 



manner for eight days or so, separate into pairs, and betake 

 themselves to the mountains. 



Species 3. — The Jack-Daw. 



JVil.Om. 125. RaiiSyn. Av. AO. Corvus Monedula, im. Sji^i. 156. Brit. 

 Zool. 175. Scotis et Ore. Kae. Brit. Zool. Illus. 52. tab. 54. 



This bird, I am informed, is to be found in the breeding- 

 time in'the rocks of South Ronaldsha, Walls, &c. where they 

 make their nests, with the rock-pigeons and stares, in the 

 holes of the rocks. 



" It is," says Mr Pennant, " a docile, loquacious bird, to 

 " which we may add, impertinently curious, thievish, fond of 

 " every thing glittering, which, if it can snatch, it carries to 

 " its retreats out of reach ; where in a tame state, I have seen 

 " it lay up a quantity of stuff it could make no use of, — apro- 

 " per representative of a miser, who thinks himself happy to 

 " add another glittering piece to the hoard, even though he 

 " perhaps dares make no more use of them, than the daw 

 " can of his magazine of rags, childrens' jewels, bits of glass, 

 *' and halfpence." 



These are what of the crow kind I have observed, or have 

 been informed of, in the Orkney Islands. Our \vant of woods 

 hinders most of the pies, or pie kind, from setthng here, even 

 though there is perhaps no other reason to be given for our 

 Avant of them. The magpie is never seen here, though so 



