5 2 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND MULL. 



sadly- tolling knell now only awaken to the chattering voices of 

 Daws. But, however this may be, the Jackdaws look upon the 

 old tower as their exclusive property ; and if any audacious 

 Hooded Crow or Kestrel ventures to alight upon it, in a moment 

 he is hustled oft' by the whole community, perhaps with the loss 

 of some of his tail feathers. One pair of Iied-legs are, however, 

 allowed by these jealous republicans to rear their family in the 

 midst of them ; and also at other times of the year they are 

 welcome guests to roost upon their tower. This nest was built 

 last year in the ledge of a small window on the very summit of 

 the tower upon the inside ; though quite out of reach, the outer 

 sticks could be seen from below. We waited patiently, hoping 

 that some of the young family, when nearly fledged, would fall 

 over ; but I suppose they were destroyed by some days of severe 

 wind and rain which we had about that time, for the old ones 

 deserted the nest afterwards. We, however, picked up the 

 fragments of some of the egg-shells which had fallen aftert lie 

 eggs were hatched ; they were of a light brownish tint, spotted 

 with dark brown. 1 



Another nest is in the mouth of a cave which can only be 

 entered at low-water. The nest is inaccessible, and visible from 

 below, but not from above. If very much wished for it might 

 perhaps be reached with the help of a rope. We left it un- 



1 At the present time the Chough has ceased to occupy any of the sites men- 

 tioned above by our author. It seems still a question whether the requirements 

 of the Republic of the Daws have not effected this dislodgment of their more 

 highly-bred cousins, or whether, as suggested in the text further on (vide Letter 

 XVII. ), the circumstances under which the two species can thrive are not some- 

 what altered of late years, those favourable to the Daw being unfavourable, or 

 less favourable, to the Chough. — Ed, 



