Chapter VII. 



THE CROW'S COUSINS. 



Many people will perhaps be surprised to learn that 

 amongst the crow familj' there are some of the most beautiful 

 birds in nature. "As black as a crow" is popularly supposed 

 to cover the whole tribe. But that is a mistake which never 

 ouj^ht to outlast life in the nursery. Some of the most de- 

 lij^htful birds in China, from a colour point of view, are to be 

 foimd amongst the cousins of the rook now so prominent an 

 object in our avian life. I will I'eturn to them directly, but 

 in the meantime the chough and daw should have that share 

 of attention which is due to interesting traits rather than to 

 brilliance of plumage. The Indian crow and his incarnate 

 mischief have been referred to before. In this respect the 

 common jackdaw will well bear comparison with his tropical 

 counterpart. I have known him wild: I have known him 

 tame. I ha\e seen his tricks when, with one wing clipped, he 

 hopped and fluttered about the farm-yard, a feathered monarch 

 of all he surveyed. Was anything lost, especially anything 

 bright, spoons, brooches, or the like, it was Jacko; and sure 

 enough when his hoard was found, there was a collection of 

 missing articles enough to send half a county to gaol. But 

 all the country' people loved Jacko nevertheless. They never 

 knew that he belonged to the genus Corviis still less that he 

 had a qualifying adjective, Daiiriciis or Moncdiila. but those 

 of them who \\ere acquainted with the Ingoldsby Legends 

 knew "The Jackdaw of Rheims" almost by heart, and were 

 sometimes quite ready to agree \\ith the \'erdict therein 

 expressed, that "The devil must be in that little jackdaw. "" 

 When the Cardinal's ring had disappeared, they knew in a 

 nK^ment where it had gone to, or rather, who had taken it. 

 They laughed a half heretical laugh at the declared effect of 

 the Cardinal's curse on the thief, whoever he might be. It 

 would have taken a good deal of real hard cursing to affect 

 Jacko they thought. But the skill of the description was 

 enjoyed to the full: — 



