236 JACKDAW. 



buildings, churches, office-houses, wherever there 

 IB an empty chimney or turret, often causing 

 annoyance by stopping up those which have been 

 in disuse during the spring ; and abounding in all 

 our large towns, where towers, and castles, and 

 spires furnish holes and niches to support or hide 

 its nest. It there assembles in small parties, 

 and carries on the duties of incubation, regardless 

 of all the bustle around. The nest is built with 

 Bticks, and it is astonishing with what perseve- 

 rance the birds will carry on until some vacancy 

 is filled up, and a resting-place is secured for 

 the nest ; but at the same time they often exhibit 

 a great want of instinct, for they will continue to 

 drop sticks down a wide chimney, where perhaps 

 not one will remain, until cart loads have accu- 

 mulated beneath. We have also seen attempts 

 tnade to build amidst the capitals of large sup- 

 porting columns, and week after week endea- 

 vours to place the sticks across the projecting 

 ledges or ornaments. One or two might remain 

 for a short while, but were sure to be displaced 

 in fresh attempts, while underneath the result of 

 a morning's labour was often as much as a single 

 person could at once remove ; this we have 

 known continued in the same spot for some 

 years. In their more natural state, the rugged 

 precipices and caves on the sea coast, and par- 

 ticular localities in mountain districts, abounding 

 with fissures, and clothed with ivy, seem the 

 places resorted to ; aged and hollow trees are 

 also sometimes chosen, but it is perhaps more 



