226 THE BIRDS OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



in Asia. I have often been told by seafaring men 

 that they have occasionally found the rigging of their 

 vessels crowded with Rooks in foggy weather whilst 

 voyaging in the North and Baltic Seas. 



98. JACKDAW. 



Corvus monedula. 



This amusing but most pernicious bird is extremely 

 common in our county, and probably only too well 

 known to most of my readers. In the hollow trees 

 about the park and pleasure-grounds at Lilford they 

 used to swarm at the breeding-season, till we found 

 it absolutely necessary to wage war upon them in the 

 interests of our garden, poultry, and game, to say 

 nothing of those of the Barn Owl, a species for which 

 we have always entertained a sincere respect and 



Rook and Jackdaws : Corvine Amenities. 



affection. The Daws not only carried off numbers of 

 young chickens, pheasants, and partridges, and com- 

 mitted havoc amongst our green - peas and other 

 vegetables, but in several instances, to our knowledge, 



