256 CORVID^. 



breed in the same place in the following year. Another 

 plan which has been tried with success is to place several 

 bundles of sticks, arranged in the form of nests, among 

 the highest branches of the trees which it is desired to 

 colonize. Stray Rooks in quest of a settlement, mistaking 

 these for ruins of old nests, accept the invitation and 

 establish themselves if the locality suits them in other 

 respects. 



THE JACKDAW. 



CORVUS MON^DULA. 



Crown of the head and upper parts black, with violet reflections ; back of the 

 head and nape grey ; lower parts duller black ; iris- white ; beak and feet 

 black. Length thirteen inches ; breadth twenty-seven inches. Eggs very 

 light blue, with scattered spots of ash-colour and dark brown 



This lively and active bird, inferior in size as well as 

 dignity to the Rook, yet in many respects resembles it 

 so closely that it might be fabled to have made the 

 Rook its model, and to have exercised its imitative powers 

 in the effort to become the object of its admiration. A 

 vain etfort, however ; for nature has given to it a slender 

 form, a shriller voice, a partially grey mantle, and an 

 instinct which compels it to be secretive even in the 

 placing of its nest. Its note, Avliich may be represented 

 either by the syllable "jack" or "daw," according to 

 the fancy of the human imitator, sounds like an imper- 

 tinent attemjjt to burlesque the full "caw" of the 

 Rook ; it affects to be admitted into the society of that 

 bird on equal terms ; but whether encouraged as a friend, 

 or tolerated as a parasite whom it is less troublesome to 

 treat with indifference than to chase away, is difficult to 

 decide. Most probably the latter ; for although it is 

 common enough to see a party of Jackdaws dancing 

 attendance on a flock of Rooks, accompanying them to 

 their feeding-grounds, and nestling in hollow trunks of 



