THE JACKDAW 61 
fearless bird; its nest is invariably placed in a small tree or bush 
adjoining some farm or cottage, and not unfrequently in the very 
midst of some straggling village. If there happens to be a suitable 
tree by the roadside and near a house, it is a very favourable locality 
for a Norwegian Magpie’s nest. I have often wondered to see the 
confidence and fearlessness displayed by this bird in Norway ; 
he will only just move out of your horse’s way as you drive by 
him on the road, and should he be perched on a rail by the roadside 
he will only stare at you as you rattle by, but never think of moving 
off. It is very pleasant to see this absence of fear of man in Nor- 
wegian birds ; a Norwegian would never think of terrifying a bird 
for the sake of sport ; whilst, I fear, to see such a bird as the Magpie 
sitting quietly on a rail within a few feet, would be to an English 
boy a temptation for assault which he could not resist. I must 
add, however, with regard to Magpies, that there is a superstitious 
prejudice for them current throughout Norway; they are con- 
sidered harbingers of good luck, and are consequently always 
invited to preside over the house; and, when they have taken up 
their abode in the nearest tree, are defended from all ill; and he 
who should maltreat the Magpie has perhaps driven off the genius 
loct, and so may expect the most furious anger of the neighbouring 
dwelling, whose good fortune he has thus violently dispersed.’ 
Faith in the prophetic powers of the Magpie even yet lingers in 
many of the rural districts of England also. 
THE JACKDAW 
CORVUS MONEDULA 
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. 
Tuis 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 admira- 
tion. A vain effort, 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, which may be represented either by the syllable ‘jack’ or 
‘daw’, according to the fancy of the human imitator, sounds like 
an impertinent attempt 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 ; 
