324 CORVIDvE. 



(laws breed in numbers in the rabbit holes on low earthy knolls, 

 in Hillsborough Park (Down). The gamekeeper one morning in 

 May, 1847, took from 150 to 170 eggs out of the nests with Iris 

 hands, without any digging. They were about arm's length 

 from the entrance. The eggs were destroyed, on account of the 

 birds being supposed to annoy the rabbits by partly filling up 

 their burrows with sticks, numbers of which, that the jackdaws 

 evidently could not get into the holes, lie about the place. The 

 nests are built of dried grasses and roots, intermixed with a few 

 pieces of stick. The eyes of the young birds can be seen by 

 persons looking into the holes. Old trees are abundant in this 

 demesne, as well as in Massareene Park, where these birds simi- 

 larly take advantage of the burrows of the rabbit. At Spring- 

 mount, county of Antrim, three or four pair build annually, 

 like magpies, in the tree-tops. Jackdaws are more prolific than 

 the rook or the grey crow ; they occasionally lay six eggs. 



June the 21st, 1842. At the cliffs adjacent to Dunluce Castle, 

 on the northern coast of Antrim, I was much amused by witness- 

 ing the attack of jackdaws on a grey crow, which appeared over 

 the cliffs where they build. Pirst, one sallied boldly after and 

 struck him repeatedly ; it was almost instantly joined by a second, 

 winch was immediately followed by a third, all of them dasliing 

 at the crow, and striking him both from above and below. The 

 persecuted bird turned back and alighted on the turf near the 

 summit of the cliff, as did two of the jackdaws also, but at a 

 respectful distance. The crow maintained his ground boldly, 

 and looked, — for all was conducted on both sides in solemn silence, 

 — as much as to say, " Come on, Fro. ready for you both." The 

 jackdaws too, for a time, remained perfectly still, but eventually 

 approached within a yard or two of their enemy, and then flew off, 

 leaving him at the very spot on which he had alighted. The whole 

 was pantomimic, not a note being uttered by any of the three birds. 

 Soon after the jackdaw's departure, the crow took wing and flew 

 again over the cliff, when he was attacked just as before, with the 

 difference, that on this occasion the jackdaws were very vociferous, 

 and the croak of the crow was occasionally uttered. He did not 



