234 The Daw. 



fairly begun, is the London jackdaw's time of 

 greatest enjoyment, as it can then forage un- 

 disturbed, and at this time, especially in the 

 summer, when there are several hours of daylight 

 during which there is practically no traffic, it may 

 not uncommonly be seen in the deserted streets 

 breakfasting, inter alia, on the grain which is 

 always to be found in considerable quantities about 

 cabstands. 



The jackdaw is decidedly omnivorous ; nothing- 

 eatable apparently comes amiss to it ; worms and 

 insects, grain and fruit, are equally acceptable ; 

 and, as Jardine said, " in the midst of cities and 

 towns it is never at a loss, and will indiscriminately 

 feed on almost any kind of offal ." In gardens it 

 is mischievous so much so, that even Waterton, 

 who certainly could not be accused of giving any 

 bird a bad character if he could truthfully avoid 

 it, was forced to confess that " it is vastly fond of 

 peas and cherries/' though he added that he could 

 not imagine how any one could " bring his mind to 

 drive away this playful, merry bird, or allow his 

 gardener to take its life for the value of a handful 

 of cherries." 



During the breeding season it attacks the nests 

 of other birds, devouring their eggs and young, 

 and carrying off the latter to feed its own nest- 

 lings; it destroys many young sparrows in this 

 way, but often takes larger birds; for example, 

 we have known a pair of jackdaws to take all the 

 young from a thrush/s nest in the course of a 



