226 EGGS OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



The nest is composed outwardly of sticks, varying in thickness 

 from slender twigs to branches more than half-an-inch in diameter, 

 and is cemented with mud and clay, and lined with large masses 

 of turf, a few roots, moss and dry leaves, straws, and a few 

 feathers. It is somewhat flat in shape outside ; but inside, the 

 hollow is rather deep. Although in rare instances nests of the 

 Book may be seen loosely made, the majority are singularly strong 

 and compact. 



The eggs of the Rook are from three to five in number, and 

 differ considerably in size, form and markings. Some specimens 

 are oval, others are rounder, whilst many are considerably elon- 

 gated. Many have the ground-colour green, of various shades ; 

 whilst in some it is very light blue, almost white. The markings 

 are greenish-brown of different degrees of intensity, sometimes 

 interspersed with spots of deep blackish-brown. The markings 

 are often so thickly distributed as to hide the ground-colour. 

 They measure from 1"8 to 1'55 inch in length, and from 1'25 to 

 105 inch in breadth. 



THE JACKDAW. 



(Corvus monedula.)* 

 Plate 55, Fig. 8. 



The Jackdaw breeds in most districts, both in Great Britain 

 and Ireland — in inland localities, as well as on the coasts ; in 

 forest districts, as often as in rocky ones ; in the busy thickly 

 populated cities, as much as in the quiet tower of the village 

 church. On the Continent the Jackdaw is distributed throughout 

 Europe south of the Arctic circle, but becomes very local in the 

 basin of the Mediterranean. 



The Jackdaw's nest is made of sticks, moss, grass, leaves, 

 feathers, wool, together with the food-refuse pellets cast up by the 

 bird, which, in addition to being found in the nests, also strew 

 the ground below them. Numbers of the nests will be built close 

 together, in some cases as many as a dozen in one single hollow 

 tree. 



The eggs are usually six in number, sometimes only four or 

 five. They vary considerably in size, shape and markings. Some 



* Cokcus moncdula — Sharpe, Handb., I., p. 10. 



