PHEASANTS IN COVERT AND AVIARY 



affection. The Daw has not only carried off a number of 

 young chickens, Pheasants and partridges, and committed 

 havoc amongst our green peas and other vegetables, but 

 in several instances, to our knowledge, took possession of 

 the owls' nests, destroyed their eggs, and piled up their own 

 nests in the cavities selected by the harmless and most 

 useful bird of night. Occasionally, however, the tables are 

 turned. For these misdemeanours we have, for some years 

 past, made a practice of shooting the old Jackdaws and 

 destroying their nests and eggs wherever we found them, 

 with the result of decided benefit to ourselves and our 

 neighbours. The Jackdaw disputes the palm for noisy and 

 intrusive impudence with the house sparrow, and does not, 

 to our knowledge, compensate us in any way for his 

 misdoings. That the Daw fulfils his duty in the great 

 scheme of Nature I do not deny, but must confess that I 

 am unable to discover what it may be." 



The flight of the Jackdaw is strong but without 

 apparently much reason in it. He is frequently on 

 the ground in search for worms, grubs, etc. When 

 in confinement his mischievous propensities are strongly 

 developed. 



Trapping and shooting are the most effective methods 

 of dealing with these birds, which are often particularly 

 troublesome in pheasantries that are open at the top. In 

 such instances the best plan is to trap one of the birds, and 

 leave him in the trap in sight of the others, which, on seeing 

 one of their colleagues in such an unfortunate position, will 

 suffice to keep the birds away for a week at anyrate. In 

 open aviaries string netting may be used to keep these 

 pests, which are as wary of the gun as most other members 

 of the order, from causing annoyance. 



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