THE ROYSTON CROW. 



387 



its nest aud young are safe from the depredations of stoats, weasels, and 

 other destroyers. 



The gray patch on the head and neck is not seen until the bird at' 

 tains maturity, the feathers being of the same black hue as on the re- 

 mainder of the body until the first moult, when the juvenile plumage 

 is shed and the adult garments assumed. 



The nest of the Jackdaw is a very rude structure of sticks, lined, or 

 rather covered, with hay, wool, feathers, and all kinds of miscellaneous 

 substances of a warm kind for the eggs and young. It is placed in 

 various localities, generally in buildings or rocks, but has often been 

 found in hollow trees, and even in the holes of rabbit-warrens, the last- 

 mentioned locality being a very remarkable one, as the young birds 

 must be in constant danger of marauding stoats and weasels. In one 

 instance a quantity of broken glass was employed in the foundation 

 of the nest. The Jackdaw is not choice in the selection of feath- 

 ered neighbors, for I have found in the same tower the nests, of 

 pigeons, jackdaws, and starlings in amicable proximity to each 

 other. The eggs are smaller and much paler than those of the 

 rook or crow, but have a similar general aspect. Their number is 

 about five. 



The RoYSTON Crow, or Hooded Crow, or Gray Crow, is a very 

 conspicuous bird, on ac- 

 count of the curiously pied 

 plumage with which it is 

 invested. 



This bird is not very 

 common in England, but 

 is found plentifully in Ire- 

 land, Scotland, and the 

 Scottish Isles, having been 

 seen in large flocks of sev- 

 eral hundreds in number 

 on the east coast of Jura. 

 Generally it is not very 

 gregarious, the male and 

 female only being found The Royston ok Hooded Crow {Corvus comix) 



in company, but it sometimes chooses to associate in little flocks of 

 fifteen or sixteen in number. It seems to prefer the seacoast to any 

 inland locality, as it there finds a great variety of food and is not much 

 exposed to danger. I have often seen these birds in the Bay of Dublin, 

 perched upon the rocks at low water, and searching for food among the 

 dank seaweed and in the rock-puddles that are left by the retreating 

 tide. They seemed always extremely bold, and would permit a very 

 close approach without exhibiting any alarm. The banks of the Med- 



