558 CORVUS MONEDULA. 



his habits in a state of domestication > to which he is easily re- 

 duced, but in which, although pleasing on account of his liveli- 

 ness, as well as his capability of being taught to pronounce 

 words, he is troublesome and occasionally mischievous, through 

 his propensity to carry oiF and conceal articles of value although 

 useless to him ; — a propensity common to most if not all the 

 crows, and of which the original object has not been discovered. 

 If the brains of birds are capable of being mapped, certainly 

 the parish of acquisitiveness ought to be remarkably large in 

 these species, as well as those of cautiousness and prudence, for 

 the dread of man in birds unable to cope with him is evi- 

 dently not cowardice, but a reasonable and estimable feeling. 



Young. — The young, which at first are covered with a 

 dusky down, are when fledged of the same colours as the adult, 

 the grey of the neck a little less pure, and the feathers in gene- 

 ral not so glossy. 



Remarks. — The Jackdaw is generally distributed in England 

 and Scotland, although there are large tracts, the Outer He- 

 brides for example, in which it does not occur. It is repre- 

 sented as inhabiting most parts of the Continent, but has not 

 been found in America. 



Several species of the genus are very nearly allied to it, par- 

 ticularly Corvus bengalensis. Taking European birds only into 

 consideration, it forms the transition to the Magpie. 



