CORVUS MONEDULA. 469 



The Jackdaw. 



Corvus Monedula. {Linn.) 



" God biess your honours a' your days 

 Wi' sowps o' kail and brats o' claise, 

 In spite o' «' the thievish kaes 



That haunt St Jamie 's." — Burns. 



As the rook identifies itself with man by building openly on 

 trees near his dwellings, the jackdaw comes still closer by 

 having its nest hidden in the vents of his houses, as well as in 

 holes and boles of trees, kirks, and ruins, and in old rabbit 

 burrows on sandy downs and moors, or cliffs by the seashore. I 

 have got their eggs and young 100 feet up in the College steeple, 

 as well as in rabbit holes on Tentsmuir. It also fraternises with 

 the rook by building on the same trees, and wandering with it 

 for food on the same fields, but is later in nesting. Like the 

 rest it is omnivorous, and when tame has all the thieving 

 propensities of the raven. No bird is more expert at stealing or 

 pouncing on the street, even at noon, and picking up a piece of 

 bread or cheese before one's eyes than the " thievish kae." I 

 have seen it eat from a worm to a young sparrow, from a pea to 

 a pear. Its usual time for dainties is at early dawn in our 

 streets, gardens, or back courts ; and if you have jargonelles or 

 other fine fruit ripe, take care of them, or the daw will do it for 

 you. A discerning poet truly says — 



" The chattering daw, most dexterous of thieves, 

 That oftentimes the careful housewife grieves." 



And Shakespeare introduces it as the most likely bird to peck 

 even at the heart of man, for he makes the philosophic villain 

 Iago say to Roderigo, who accused him of following Othello 



" O, sir, content you ; 

 I follow him to serve my turn upon him ; 

 Heaven is my judge, not I, for love or duty, 

 But, seeming so, for my peculiar end ; 

 For, when my outward action does demonstrate 

 The native act and figure of my heart 

 In compliment extern, 'tis not long after 

 But I wiU wear my heart upon my sleeve 

 For daws to peck at. I am not what I am." 



