58 BIRD LIFE IN ENGLAND. 



cliffs ; sweeping out in clamorous schools at every real or 

 fancied danger the measured tread of a coastguard above 

 or the shadow of a gliding kestrel crossing their nursery 

 floors ; and in summer they curvet with their young over 

 the breezy downs, or descend upon the cliff crofters' potato 

 plots, but no harm is committed there or elsewhere by them. 

 With infinite disgust have I met town gunners turning 

 out of an afternoon to harry this cheerful and harmless little 

 bird amongst his breeding places in the ruins, and in particular 

 one such party comes especially prominently to my memory. 

 I was walking down " Tweed side " and passed under the 

 ruins of Drochil Castle, once owned, it is said, when Scotland 

 was an independent monarchy, by a noble baron who turned 

 his restless genius to the invention of the guillotine ; and sub- 

 sequently, under direction of his sovereign, illustrated the 

 working of the affair on his own person with the assistance 

 of a few regal retainers ! This stronghold was overgrown 

 with ivy, and abounded in jackdaws who cawed and chivied 

 one another through casement or port holes, adding life 

 and interest to the scene. I sat down and thought how well 

 their presence befitted quiet. " Surely no voice in Nature 

 was ever more suggestive of long undisturbed repose, more 

 significant of the statelier forms of peace, or more in harmony 

 with old baronial possessions than the pleasant clamour of 

 the jackdaws up amongst the chimneys and turrets. Not 

 only do they enhance the tranquillity of the ancient castle, 

 but they add a solemnity to the minster; the poets are quite 

 wrong when they say the * steeple-loving jackdaws' note is 

 dismal.' Down the strath, when I had left the birds, with 

 my heart full of friendliness to them, I met three or four 

 townsmen armed with cheap breechloaders, about whose 

 errand I speculated for a time. It was only when retracing 

 my steps the same evening up the glen the wretched 

 mystery was explained. Those gentlemen of clothyard and 

 scales had had a field day amongst the birds, the castle was 

 silent and deserted, and along both sides of the approach 



