OF THE BIRDS MENTIONED 203 
9. JACKDAW 
(Pages 53-60) 
Corvus monedula. (Lat., corvus, araven—compare note 
‘cor’; monedula, a jackdaw, or daw.) (A bird of the 
crow order. See Carrion Crow.) ‘Jack’ is perhaps 
taken from his note (see below), ‘ daw’ isa generic title. 
This is the smallest of the large ‘ black’ birds in this 
country. (Somewhat like the chough, but this bird is 
not a crow, has red beak and legs and js found near the 
sea.) Plumage: Except fora broad patch of grey on the 
back of the neck (seen even at a distance), which does 
not appear till after the first moult, and which 1s charac- 
teristic, he is entirely black (even -the beak, tongue, 
toes and legs are black). There is a fine deep violet 
sheen on the back parts. Distinguished as living in 
. communities (and consorting with rooks and starlings), 
and frequenting and nesting in old ruins, church steeples, 
cliffs, deserted quarries, etc. (sometimes in a_ hollow 
tree), and by his busy, bustling, noisy ways and _ his 
often repeated ‘jock’ or ‘chock’ (compare name 
‘jack’ daw; daw, an old name for this bird) uttered 
with a sudden stop. If seen close, the clear bluish- 
white eye is striking. Flight: Jerky, but quick. 
Alights in an awkward flopping way. Found: See 
above. Widely distributed. Also near the sea, on 
cliffs and rocks, in the company of sea birds. Habits : 
