JACKDAW. 153 



sticks together as quite to choke up the flues. 

 Whilst engaged in constructing their nests, they 

 occasionally fall into the rooms below; and I have 

 more than once been favoured with a visitor of this 

 kind in my bed-room, in the early part of the morn- 

 ing. They do not seem much to mind smoke, as 

 I have known them attempt to build in chimneys 

 where there were fires kept pretty regularly from 

 day to day. From the quantity of horse-dung 

 which occasionally falls into the grates beneath 

 where they are at work, I should suppose that 

 they employ this material in some way, perhaps 

 as a lining for their nests. 



A white variety of this bird was once shot at 

 Bottisham. 



April 27, 1828. A farmer in this neighbour- 

 hood observes, that, for about a month at this 

 period of the year, his corn-stacks are more resort- 

 ed to and attacked by the jackdaws than at any 

 other time, and that he is obliged to employ a 

 boy to keep them off. This circumstance, one 

 would suppose, must have some connection with 

 the breeding-season. 



Jackdaws are not only fond of carrion and offal, 

 but will occasionally attack living prey. A friend 

 of mine saw one well punished for attempting to 

 take a young chicken just hatched. A cock and 

 the old hen beat him so severely, that he made his 

 escape with difficulty. 



H 5 



