The Crow Tribe. 33 



the back of sheep to pick out any parasites from the 

 wool. In confinement it seems to prefer meat to any 

 other food. The young birds, if taken from the nest 

 when nearly fledged, are very easily tamed and taught, 

 and may be brought up like young Ravens. The old 

 birds will sometimes feed them if they are put in a 

 wicker cage, and hung up near the nest till they are 

 old enough to take care of themselves. If full-grown 

 birds are taken, they must have their wings clipped 

 twice a year, and may be suffered to go at large. 



A number of anecdotes of the sagacity and cunning 

 of tame Jackdaws are recorded. I have read of one 

 who stole some pickled cockles from a jar, and being 

 detected in the act, the cook called out, " You rogue ! 

 you go to the cockles, do you ? " and punished him by 

 throwing a ladle-full of hot fat over his head, which 

 scalded his pate so that he was quite bald for a time. 

 Soon afterwards, when his master had a party, the 

 Jackdaw saw among the guests one with a bald head, 

 upon which he flew upon his shoulder, and looking at 

 the bald head, exclaimed, " You rogue ! you go to the 

 cockles, do you?" 



A friend of mine used to tell of a tame Jackdaw 

 who was sadly given to pilfering, and would fly in at 

 cottage windows and steal everything he could find. 

 One day he carried off a half-crown, but brought it 

 back the next day. Being shut up in a drawer once 

 by accident, he called out " Mother, mother ! " and the 



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