THE JACKDAW. 



203 



they build in the churches of Rouen and Mons, while 

 they are never seen on the towers of Orleans, of 

 Tours, or of Angers, though built nearly on the same 

 plan. 



The following remarkable story is believed by many 

 to be true. Two boys — thoughtlessly and foolishly 

 indeed — went to take a jackdaw's nest from a hole 

 under the belfry window, in the tower of All Saint's 

 church, Derby. But here two things were absolutely 

 impossible : one was to reach it standing within the 

 building, the other to climb to it from without. What 

 was then to be done ? They put a plank through the 

 window, and while the heavier boy was to sit on one 

 end within the building, and thus to steady it, the 

 other was to go to the opposite end, and from thence to 

 capture the wished-for nest. This he succeeded in 

 doing ; and immediately he told his companion it con- 

 tained five young birds, all fledged, when the other an- 

 swered, " Then I '11 have three." " No," said the 

 younger boy, " I run all the danger, and I '11 have the 

 three." — " You sha'n't," said his comrade. " Promise me 

 three, or I '11 drop you." — " Do, if you like ; but you 

 shall have only two," was the fearless reply ; when up 

 went the plank, and down he fell, upwards of a hundred 



