7 



loo HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



often seen Jackdaws perched upon the backs of the 

 Fallow-Deer plucking out hair with which to line 

 their nests. White varieties are not very rare. 



In former times the Jackdaw was commonly 

 known as the Chough, and so styled in the church- 

 wardens' accounts and in Acts of Parliament (ZooL, 

 1893, p. 333, and 1894, p. 48). It is probably the 

 russet-pated Chough of Shakespeare. See p. 94. 



MAGPIE. Pica rustica (Scopoli). PI. 15, figs. 7, 7a. 

 Length, 18 in. ; tail, 10 in. ; wing, 7"75 in. ; tarsus, 2 in. 



Resident, and in many places common, notwith- 

 standing its persecution by gamekeepers. Intro- 

 duced into Ireland {Zool, 1881, p. 480; 1891, p. 

 247; M's/^iVa^., 1893, pp.96, 113). Although usually 

 to be seen singly or in pairs. Magpies have been 

 observed coming into plantations at roosting-time 

 in flocks {Zool, 1861, p. 7817; 1862, p. 7846; 1868, 

 p. 1405; 1876, pp. 4879 and 4907; Field, April 7, 

 14, 21, 1900; Stanley's " History of Birds," p. 193, 

 and Newton, ed. Yarrell, vol. ii. p. 316). 



The normal colour of the beak in the Magpie 

 is black, but in two instances a variety has been 

 met with in England having a yellow beak, in this 

 respect resembling Fica nuttalli of California 

 {Zool, 1867, pp. 706, 757, 877, 1016). 



JAY. Garruhts glandarius (Linnseus). PI. 15, fig. 8. 

 Length, 14 in.; bill, 1 in.; wing, 7'25 in.; tarsus, 1'75 in. 



Resident and generally distributed, except in 

 Ireland, where, according to Mr. R. Ussher, the 



