PASSERES. ( 207 ) CORVID^. 



THE JACKDAW. 



DAW, JACK, KAE, KAY. 



GoTviis monedula. 

 i:ije Jack, Clje lacktiato, W^z map. 



Deir on deis and thou be dicht,^ 

 And syne sits dj-owpand lykc a da, 

 Fayn ivill thay all be of that sicht ; 

 And thay that onlie is thy fa, 

 They will fiocht grtige to lat ye ga."^ 



John Maitland, Advice to be Blyth, 1566-70. 



The Jackdaw is now much more plentiful in Berwickshire 

 than it was in former times, and breeds in great numbers 

 in the precipices about St. Abb's Head and all round the 

 coast,^ as well as in the picturesque ruins of old Dryburgh 

 Abbey, whilst at Corsbie, 



From hollows of the towers on high. 

 The gray cap'd daws in saucy legions fly. 



BlOOjMTIELD. 



Precipitous clifi's overhanging the rivers and streams of the 

 county are also favourite haunts of this bird. Amongst 

 these resorts may be mentioned the rocks on the Tweed, 



1 Mr. Pinkerton says this means, "Though thou be dearly (richly) dressed, 

 and sitting iu the place of honour." — Sibbald, Chron. Scot. Poet., vol. iii. p. 318. 



- The " Advyce to be blyth iu bail," from which these lines are quoted, is 

 supposed by Mr. Pinkerton to have been written by "John Maitland, Commen- 

 dator of Coldinghame, and sone aftir Lord Thirlstane and Chancellor of 

 Scotland."— Sibbald, Chron. Scot. Poet. vol. iii. p. 318. 



3 It is supposed that the great increase of the Jackdaw on the sea-coa.st has 

 led to the extinction of the Chough there. 



