THE JACKDAW. 



91 



cairion ; they fly only in pairs ; and will des- 

 troy other birds, if they can take them by 

 surprise. But it is very different with the rook, 

 the daw, and the Cornish chough, which may 



turn from side to side and wind among each other. In 

 general, however, they settle with more caution, some- 

 times flying repeatedly over the ground, often dropping 

 down one by one, and occasionally perching for a while 

 in the neighbouring trees before venturing to alight. 



The cry of the rook resembles the syllable Khraa, 

 more or less harsh or soft according to occasion. There 

 is great diversity in the voice of individuals, some hav- 

 ing much louder and clearer notes than others. Al- 

 though separately their cries are monotonous and dis- 

 agreeable, yet from a large flock, and at some distance, 

 they are by no means unpleasant; and those who have 

 become habituated to the noise of a rookery, do riot ge- 

 nerally find it annoying. 



Although the staple food of the rook is larvae and 

 worms, it also eats shell-fish, Crustacea, coleopterous in- 

 sects, lizards, seeds, especially of cereal plants, acorns, 

 beech-nuts, portions of roots of grasses, and in winter 

 even turnips. I have seen rooks picking at a fish on 

 the beach, but I believe they never devour carrion, al- 

 though they may be seen about a dead horse or cow 

 searching for larvae. While feeding, they freely asso- 

 ciate with jackdaws, and even gulls; and I have seen 

 starlings, red-wings, fieldfares and missel thrushes ming- 

 ling with them without much apprehension of danger. 



Rooks are not easily shot in the fields unless one come 

 accidentally upon some that have straggled to the edge, 

 for they are commonly shy and vigilant. At the same 

 time they seem to calculate upon the protection which 

 they usually receive in the neighbourhood of their breed- 

 ing places, and are less shy on the lawn and in the park 

 than on the distant pastures and in the ploughed fields. 

 In the neighbourhood of towns they are always more 

 wary than in the country, so that holding out a gun or a 

 stick, or even the arm, or standing stock still, is sure to 

 make them fly off, unless they be several hundred yards 

 distant. 



In form the jackdaw is more compact, and in action 



more lively, than any other British bird of the genus. 

 It is about the size of the domestic pigeon, with the body 

 ovate, the neck rather short, the head large, the feet, 

 wings, and tail of moderate length. 



The jackdaw is a remarkably active, pert, and loqua- 

 cious little fellow, ever cheerful, always on the alert, and 

 ready either for business or frolic. If not so respectable 

 as the grave and sagacious raven, he is at least the most 

 pleasant of the family, and withal extremely fond of so- 

 ciety, for not content with having a flock of his own folk 

 about him, he often thrusts himself into the midst of a 

 gang of rooks, and in winter sometimes takes up his 

 abode entirely with them. 



The flight of this species is similar to that of the rook, 

 somewhat more rapid, generally extremely wavering, 

 the bird frequently shifting its direction, now dashing 

 downwards, then curving up again, shooting obliquely to 

 either side, and performing as many evolutions as if it 

 could not follow a direct line, which, however, it some- 



be all ranked in this order. They are sociable 

 and harmless ; they live only upon insects and 

 grain ; and wherever they are, instead of injur- 

 ing other birds, they seem sentinels for the whole 



times does when in great haste. It is also extremely 

 clamorous, and its note being loud arid clear, resembling 

 the syllable Kae or Caw, variously modulated, the noise 

 emitted by a large flock, although in no degree musical, 

 is far from being unpleasant. 



Jackdaws inhabit deserted buildings, steeples, towers, 

 and high rocks, especially those along the coast. Sally- 

 ing from thence at early dawn, they betake themselves 

 to the pastures, meadows, or ploughed fields, to search 

 for larvae, worms, insects, and in general the same sort 

 of food as the rooks, with which they often associate on 

 their excursions. They walk gracefully, and much more 

 smartly than the rooks, often running under excitement, 

 and frequently quarrelling together, although without 

 any serious results. They do not despise carrion, and 

 on the shore will occasionally feed on shell-fish, crusta- 

 cea and fishes, being nearly as omnivorous as the hooded- 

 crows, although giving a decided preference to larvte. 

 They are scarcely less vigilant than the rooks, at least 

 while in the fields, so that it is not always easy to get 

 within shot of them; but in the breeding season one 

 may readily procure specimens by concealing himself in 

 the midst of their haunts. 



This is one of the few birds that habitually or occa- 

 sionally reside in the heart of cities, where it selects a 

 steeple, a church tower, or any other high building, in 

 which it can find a sufficient number of secure retreats. 

 In Edinburgh, for example, it frequents Heriot's and 

 Watson's Hospitals, the University, the Infirmary, the 

 Chapel of Holyroodhouse, and the Castle, although in 

 the latter it is chiefly in the rock that it takes up its 

 abode. In the country, ruinous castles are its favourite 

 places of resort, and it is found, for example, at Dunot- 

 tar, Rosslyn, and Tantallon Castles, and the buildings 

 on the Bass. It also not unfrequently finds refuge in 

 high rocks, as at the Cove near Aberdeen, and in other 

 places along the coast; and in defect of more agreeable 

 lodgings, will sometimes settle in a wood. 



In these places also it nestles, as well as not unfre- 

 quently in the interior of chimneys in which fire is not 

 kept. The nest is fixed in any convenient recess, on a 

 cornice or other projecting part of a building, in the 

 hole of a spout, or, in short, in any place that seems 

 suitable. It has a base-work of sticks, on which is laid 

 a quantity of straw, wool, feathers, and other soft ma- 

 terials. The eggs are from four to seven, generally five, 

 of a regular oval form, broader in proportion to their 

 length than those of the other species, much lighter also, 

 being of a very pale greenish-blue, or rather bluish- 

 white, covered, more profusely at the larger end, 

 with small, round, separated spots of dark brown and 

 pale purplish. They vaiy in length from an inch and 

 four twelfths to an inch and six twelfths, in diameter 

 from eleven and a half twelfths to a twelfth more. The 

 eggs are generally deposited in May, and the young are 

 abroad by the end of June. 



Jackdaws often obtain a large proportion of their food 

 in the streets, which they frequent more especially in 

 the mornings, along with pigeons, and sometimes rooks. 

 On these occasions they pick up the refuse of whatever 

 serves as food to man. Like the starling and the mag- 

 pie, they sometimes alight on sheep and cattle, appa- 

 rently for the purpose of searching for the sticks and 

 other animals among their hair. They are not so shy as 

 rooks when in privileged places, enter a garden with 

 little fear, and are easily enticed to a particular spot by 

 placing food for them. Thus in towns, persons, for 

 amusement, draw them to their windows, along with 

 pigeons and sparrows; but they are always more suspi- 



