THE JACKDAW. 



THE JACKDAW. 



The JACKDAW (Corvus moneduld), another of the family, 

 is constantly associated with the rook, building in the holes 

 of the trees in which the rooks have their nests, as well as 

 in church-towers, ruins, and cliffs, seeking the same kind 

 of food ; one seldom sees a flight of rooks without the 

 lesser bird being amongst them. The jackdaw is a sad 

 pilferer, and particularly fond of other birds' eggs and their 

 young ; he has been seen to take the callow young from a 

 pigeon's nest, break open their skulls, and devour the brains, 



THE JACKDAW. 



leaving the rest of the body untouched. We have seen 

 him search the Corinthian columns of the houses in some 

 of the London squares, and bring out and eat young 

 sparrows one after the other, to the great distress of the 

 old birds, who dare not attack him. According to Ovid, 

 the jackdaw was the bird of Minerva, but was displaced in 

 favour of the owl, owing to the jackdaw having told tales ; 

 hence he is designated " chattering." 



