CORVUS MONEDULA. 473 



or settled on his boat, and sat beside him when he hauled up 

 the creels, much interested, as it " Kya, kyad" with glee when 

 he pulled out the live crabs as it sat on the creel. When the 

 sail was set it settled on the yard. Whenever it saw him on 

 the quay or pier it alighted beside him and flew round about, 

 seaward and back again, as in pure delight to bear him 

 company ; and nothing pleased it more than accompanying him 

 up the brae on his way home to his house in North Street. At 

 night it perched on an iron peg behind the door. It is a pity 

 this interesting jackdaw was accidentally poisoned the third 

 year — death being the usual fate of our feathered friends at 

 large. It frequented the rocks where the sewage outlet is, near 

 where the refuse of the gas work is thrown. It came home 

 quite well and died the same night. It entered the house by a 

 window kept open for it. At the same time — 1885-6 — a boy, 

 eight years old, at Fleming Place, had one. The first year it 

 flew with him wherever he went. Next year it was given to a 

 gardener who had a large garden on the south side of the city. 

 He cut its wings, so it stayed there till 1886. After moulting, 

 it began to fly about, so one morning it was found on the 

 window sill of its old home at Fleming Place, and evinced the 

 greatest pleasure by crying " Kya, kya" when it saw its old 

 friend, the boy, who was no less pleased to regain his feathered 

 companion. They remained true friends for the next three 

 years. The last time I saw them together was on May 27th, 

 1889. I often saw it with the boy at the railway station, for 

 his father being a goods guard he often took his dinner to him. 

 The faithful jackdaw accompanied him, flying and chatting all 

 the way. I have as often seen it flying to school with him and 

 returning. At first it went into the school with him like the 

 impudent one into the Kirk at Kent ; but so long as the " kae" 

 was a pupil there was no learning that day, so it had to remain 

 outside and amuse itself by flying about the roof and grounds, 

 and wait till the class came out. Then, when it spied the boy, it 

 flew down upon his shoulder, crying, " Kya, kya," and went 

 home with him. When at school, and its friend playing at the 

 " bools," it was not an idle spectator, for it would trickily seize 

 the marbles and fly off with them. Nothing pleased it better 

 than running after and pecking the bare feet of the boys and 

 girls — more for fun than injury, for it revelled amongst the 

 children without fear or distrust, only it did not allow any but 

 the boy to touch it. With him it had no fear. Though on the 

 highest roof, if he cries " kya" it flies down and alights on his 

 2 F 



