BIRDS AND MAN 41 



Deer, too, like cows, are very grateful to the daw 

 for its services. In Savernake Forest I once wit- 

 nessed a very pretty little scene. I noticed a hind 

 lying down by herself in a grassy hollow, and as I 

 passed her at a distance of about fifty yards it struck 

 me as singular that she kept her head so low down 

 that I could only see the top of it on a level with her 

 back. Walking round to get a better sight, I saw 

 a jackdaw standing on the turf before her, very 

 busily pecking at her face. With my glass I was 

 able to watch his movements very closely ; he 

 pecked round her eyes, then her nostrils, her throat, 

 and in fact every part of her face ; and just as a man 

 when being shaved turns his face this way and that 

 under the gentle guiding touch of the barber's fingers, 

 and lifts up his chin to allow the razor to pass be- 

 neath it, so did the hind raise and lower and turn her 

 face about to enable the bird to examine and reach 

 every part with his bill. Finally the daw left the 

 face, and, moving round, jumped on to the deer's 

 shoulders and began a minute search in that part ; 

 having finished this he jumped on to the head and 

 pecked at the forehead and round the bases of the 

 ears. The pecking done, he remained for some 

 seconds sitting perfectly still, looking very pretty 

 with the graceful red head for a stand, the hind's 



