GREAT-BILLED CROW. Corvus cras5irosrru. 



the taproom, in order to ascertain if his travelling companion was still within. On one 

 occasion, indeed, he pressed quite anxiously into the room, and observing him he sought 

 not inclined immediately to move, he took a flight in a circular direction for nearly half 

 a mile, returning again to his former station. Soon after this the man prepared his horse, 

 Jack mounted upon the sign-post, and as soon as the former had ridden about a hundred 

 yards on his road to Staines, he fluttered his dark pinions and followed the well-remeiu- 

 bered track of the ostler-boy of Staines." 



The grey patch on the head and neck is not seen until the bird attains maturity, the 

 feathers being of the same black hue as on the remainder 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 



2. DD 



