88 JACKDAW. 



waistcoat pocket when he came up to the house. 

 The Jackdaws soon got to know their friend, and 

 would swoop down from the trees when they saw him 

 coming, and dive into his pockets with their beaks 

 and draw out the fruit, chattering away all the time 

 in the highest glee.* 



"Jacks" always build in colonies: in the crevices 

 of cliffs, in ruined buildings or church towers, or in 

 the holes of trees. Near Queenwood we have a big 

 " Jackery," all the nests of which are built in rabbit 

 warrens. This is all the more curious, as a great 

 number of the young every year are destroyed by 

 rats. The nests are built of sticks and wool. In 

 some cases the birds will drop whole barrow loads of 

 sticks into a hole to bring it up to the height they 

 wish. Instances are recorded of this bird trying to 

 fill up chimneys in this way. 



The eggs, three to six, are very handsome. They 

 vary a good deal in colour and markings ; they are 

 pale bluish white, spotted and blotched with a rich 

 greenish brown, light brown and greyish white. 



* Another tame one from Qd. Notes, Summer, 1885. Account 

 by owner. " Ever since it could fly it has come to me for food, 

 but latterly it has come to me whenever I called it, knowing 

 my voice from any one else's. It can catch a piece of food 

 when thrown four or five feet in the air, flying up and seizing 

 it before it reaches the ground. In going to Broughton it 

 followed me down there, but not liking the village children, it 

 flew on to a house, and did not return till the following morn- 

 ing. Another time I was going to Horsebridge with three 

 other boys, when at the commencement of the beeches we 

 were surprised to see ' Jack ' fly to me and settle on my 

 head. We do not know where he came from. He stopped 

 with me on my hand and arm till we came almost to Horse- 

 bridge." 



