196 



JACAMAR JACKDAW. 



flies (ih., 1683 and 1784). It was continued nnd 

 finished by T. F. W. llcrbst. 



JACAMAR (galbula, Brisson). These brilliant 

 birds are nearly connected with the kingfishers, from 

 which, however, they differ by the form of their beak 

 and feet. Their plumage has a metallic lustre, which 

 it is almost impossible to imitate by art. They live 

 in damp woods, and feed on insects. Most if not 

 all the true jacamars, are natives of tropical America. 

 There are several species found in India, liaving a 

 shorter and stouter beak, to which Le Vaillant has 

 given the generic name ofjacamerops. 



JACK. Mr Tyrwhitt, in his note upon v. 14,816 

 of Cliaucer, says, " I know not how it lias happened 

 that, in the principal modern languages, John, or its 

 equivalent, is a name of contempt, or at least of 

 slight. So the Italians use Gianni, from whence 

 zani ; the Spaniards Juan, as bobo Juan, or foolish 

 John; the French Jean, with various additions ; and 

 in English, when we call a man a John, we do not 

 mean it as a title of honour. Chaucer, in v. 3708, 

 uses Jack-fool as the Spaniards do bobo Juan, and I 

 suppose Jackass has the same etymology." To this 

 we will add, that the Germans use Hans, their nick- 

 name for John, for the same purpose; as, Hans narr, 

 Jack-fool; dummer Hans, stupid Jack, &c. Pen- 

 nant also, in his Zoology (iii. 342), remarks, " It is 

 very singular that most nations give the name of 

 their favourite dish to the facetious attendant on 

 mountebanks. Thus the D'utch call him Pickle her- 

 ring; the Italians Macaroni; the French, Jean pot- 

 age; the Germans, Hans wurst, i. e. Jack-sausage ; 

 and the English give him the title of Jack-pudding. 



The name of Jack Ketch seems to have become 

 permanently generic for the common hangman. 



The names of the boot jack and roasting jack are 

 derived by Watts, in his Logic, from the circumstance 

 that boys (who of course often had the common name 

 Jack) were formerly employed to pull off boots and 

 to turn spits ; and when instruments were invented 

 for these purposes, the common name of the boys was 

 given to them in sport. 



The common roasting jack consists of a double set 

 of wheels, a barrel, round which the rope fastened to 

 the pulleys is wound, a perpetual screw, and a fly. 

 Occasionally there is added a multiplying wheel, 

 round which the rope is first wound, before it passes 

 upon the barrel. As this wheel is considerably 

 larger than the barrel, the jack is proportionably 

 longer in running down. 



The smoke jack is moved by a fan placed horizon- 

 tally in the chimney, and, being carried about per- 

 petually, by the draught of the fire, requires no 

 machinery for winding it up. Spiral flyers, coiling 

 about a vertical axle, are sometimes used, and oc- 

 casionally a vertical wheel, with sails like the float- 

 boards of a mill. 



Jack is also used for a coat of mail, and likewise 

 for the garment worn over it. 



Jack boots are large boots to cover and protect the 

 legs. 



Jack is also used for a horse or wooden frame to 

 saw timber upon ; for a great leathern pitcher in 

 which drink was formerly put ; for the small bowl 

 that serves as a mark at the exercise of bowling ; 

 and for a young pike. 



Jack, in sea language, is a sort of flag displayed 

 from a mast erected at the outer end of a ship's bow- 

 sprit. 



JACKAL (cants aureus, Lin.) There is no essen- 

 tial difference between the dog and the jackal, as 

 they will breed together, producing prolific offspring. 

 This species of quadrupeds is very widely extended 

 throughout the warmer regions of the old world. It 

 is found in Africa, from Barbary to the Cape o 



(I <x>d llopf ; in Syria, in Persia, and throughout all 

 southern Asia. It is ubout two feet and a half in 

 en trili, and about fourteen inches in height ; the 

 ,ength of the tail, about eight inches ; the eyes are 

 small ; the tail bushy; the head, neck, sides of the 

 jelly, thighs, and outer part of the limbs and ears, 

 >f a dirty yellow ; underneath and on the sides of the 

 o\ver jaw, and the end of the upper lip, under the 

 neck and belly, and the inner surface of the limbs, 

 Miirwhiit white; the back and sides of the body, to 

 :he tail, of a grey-yellow, which is abruptly divided 

 Vom the surrounding lighter colours ; the tail, a 

 nixture of yellow and black hair, the black prevail- 

 ng at the extremity ; the muzzle and nails black. 

 All travellers who have been in the countries where 

 the jackals are found, mention the ravages they com- 

 mit, and their dreadful nocturnal cries, which, an- 

 swered as they are by all their companions, produce 

 ;he most appalling effects. Their voice has often 

 seen described as more terrific than the howl of the 

 :iyaana or the roar of the tiger, and deprives of repose 

 all hearers who have not been long accustomed to it. 

 The jackal can be tamed with tolerable facility, but 

 always preserves an extreme timidity, which he 

 manifests by concealing himself on hearing the 

 lightest unusual sound, "or at the sight of a person 

 whom he is unaccustomed to. This fear is different 

 from that of most wild animals, and he closely resem- 

 bles a dog in fear of chastisement, for he will offer no 

 resistance when he is touched. The most celebrated 

 commentators on the Bible consider that the 300 

 animals, to whose tails Samson tied firebrands, were 

 jackals. This opinion is grounded on the great 

 number of these animals found in Syria, and on their 

 assembling in large packs ; whereas the fox is com- 

 paratively scarce, and is always solitary. The jackal 

 has been popularly termed the lion's provider, from 

 an opinion that it rouses the prey for that quadruped. 

 The fact appears to be, that every creature in the 

 forest is set in motion by the fearful cries of the 

 jackals ; the lion and other beasts of prey, by a sort 

 of instinct and the call of appetite, attend the chase, 

 and seize such timid animals as betake themselves to 

 flight at the noise of this nightly pack. Button gives 

 the following character of the jackal : " It unites 

 the impudence of the dog with the cowardice of the 

 wolf, and participating in the nature of each, is an 

 odious creature, composed of all the bad qualities of 

 both." 



JACKDAW (corvus monedula, Lin.) This bird 

 is one of the crow kind, and has been celebrated for 

 its copious vocabulary and garrulous habits. It is 

 about thirteen inches in length, with black bill; 

 white eyes ; the hinder part of the head and neck of 

 a hoary-grey colour ; the rest of the plumage, of a 

 rich glossy black above ; beneath dusky ; the legs 

 are black. The jackdaw is very common in Britain, 

 where it remains the whole year ; in France, and 

 various other parts of the continent of Europe, it is 

 migratory. It is gregarious, frequenting old towers 

 and ruins, where it builds its nests. The female lays 

 five or six eggs of a greenish colour, and is exceed- 

 ingly assiduous in her attention to her young after 

 they are hatched. These birds principally live on 

 worms and the larvae of insects, but they also appear 

 to be capable of taking fish. Bingley states that he 

 was witness to an instance where a jackdaw was very 

 successful in this mode of obtaining food. It is easily 

 tamed, and may be taught to pronounce many words 

 with little difficulty. The jackdaws are notorious 

 thieves, not only stealing food, but appearing to be 

 particularly fond of shining substances, as money, 

 &c., and have frequently occasioned suspicions of 

 theft in persons who were afterwards proved inno- 

 cent. So far do they carry this propensity, that they 



