86 JACKDAW. 



in ground colour, marked with blotches of greenish 

 and blackish brown. 



The Rook makes a most confiding and amusing 

 pet. We have one at Queenwood now * (the only 

 survivor of five) which was brought up from the nest. 

 " Barkee " is his name, and on being called by it, he 

 will strut gravely up to you, and, hopping on your 

 finger, acknowledge his head being scratched with an 

 approving " Ba-ar, ba-ar". During school hours he 

 will sometimes wander round and make a tour of in- 

 spection, peeping in at a half-open door and putting 

 his head on one side in the most critical way, as 

 though he were going to be asked to give his opinion 

 of it all. He is quite a school institution. f 



JACKDAW. 



CORVUS MONEDULA. 



Family PASSERID^E. Sub-family CORVINE. Genus CORVUS. 

 Daw Jack Kae. 



This lively bird breeds in most districts of the 

 British Isles. We are probably all familiar with him, 

 and at once recognise his impudent cry of " Jac, jac," 

 as he flies overhead in company with his relations the 

 Rooks, or with others of his own kind. They are 

 very similar to the Rook in their habits, always being 

 seen in companies, going or returning from their feed- 



* July, 1894. 



f In a letter dated 23rd June, 1896, his owner writes : 

 " Barkee, the rook, is dead. One day, when we were out with 

 the hounds, he must have gone strolling about the field, and 

 some boys found him and took him home and killed him. We 

 found out who had stolen him a fortnight afterwards." 



