30 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



chimneys have been blocked by the industrious birds. I have 

 seen a winding stairway in a tower almost filled with a pyramid 

 of sticks, at the summit of which the cup of the nest seemed 

 absurdly small. This cup is lined with wool, hair and grass. 

 The four or six eggs are less spotted and blotched than those 

 of most crows, and are bluer in ground colour (Plate 12). They 

 are usually laid late in April. 



The general plumage of the Jackdaw is black glossed with 

 blue on the head and upper parts, duller beneath ; the nape, 

 back of neck and ear-coverts are distinctly grey in the adult 

 bird of either sex, this grey being clearest after the moult in 

 autumn. The young are browner, and the grey little noticeable 

 until the second autumn. The bill and legs are black, and the 

 irides bluish or greyish white. Saunders describes them as 

 " white at all ages,^' but in a young bird in my possession they 

 were distinctly pale blue until the end of its second October, 

 when they darkened, showing a brownish rather than greyish 

 cast. Length, about 14 ins. Wing, 9-25 ins. Tarsus, 1-9 ins. 



Magpie. Pica pica (Linn.). 



The Magpie (Plate 9) is resident throughout the British 

 Isles, and though occasionally wandering, exhibits no real 

 migratory movements. In the north of Scotland and west of 

 Ireland it is rare, but in most parts of the latter country it is 

 now abundant, though introduced in the seventeenth century. 

 Ours is the European bird, which has allied forms in Spain, 

 north Africa, Asia and North America. 



The strikingly pied plumage and long, graduated tail, as well 

 as the loud, harsh chatter of the Pie, prevent confusion with 

 any other species. In the open country it commands attention 

 as one, two, three or more birds, with rapidly moving, appa- 

 rently short wings, fly in succession, chattering as they pass. 

 When the bird alights the long tail is at once elevated and 



