MY NEIGHBOUR'S BIRD STORIES 77 



deep nest in a holly bush, and be the parent of five 

 beautiful gem-like blue eggs spotted with black. 



The only other bird he had ever possessed was a 

 jackdaw, a charming fellow, full of fun, with uncut 

 wings, so that he was free to go and come at will; 

 but he was a home-loving bird, very affectionate, 

 though loving mischief too, and never happier than 

 when his indulgent master allowed him to use his 

 head as a perch. 



One day, when Mr. Redburn was busy in his 

 study, his little daughter, aged seven, came crying 

 to him to complain that Jack was plaguing her so! 

 He wanted to pull the buttons off her shoes, and 

 because she wouldn't let him he pecked her ankles, 

 and it hurt her so, and made her cry. He gave her 

 his stick, and told her, with a laugh, to give Jack 

 a good smart rap on the head with it, and that 

 would make him behave himself. He never for a 

 moment imagined that such a clever, quick bird as 

 Jack would allow himself to be struck by a little 

 girl with a long walking-stick; nevertheless this 

 incredible thing happened, and the stick actually 

 came down on Jack's head, and the child screamed, 

 and, running to her, he found her crying, and Jack 

 lying to all appearance dead on the floor! They 

 took him up tenderly and examined him, and said 

 he was really and truly dead, and then tenderly, 

 sorrowfully, put him down again. All at once, to 

 their astonishment and delight, he opened his 

 mischievous little grey eyes and looked at his 

 friends standing over him. Then he got up on his 



