IV 

 INCREASING BIRDS IN BRITAIN 



About the daw, or Jackie, or Dorrie or 

 Jackie-Dorrie, as he is variously and familiarly 

 called, and his village habits, there will be more 

 to say presently; just now my concern is with 

 another matter — a veritable daw problem. 



For the last twenty years or longer it has 

 seemed to me that the daw is an increasing species 

 in Britain; at all events I am quite sure that it is 

 so in the southern half of England, particularly 

 along the coast of Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and 

 in Cornwall, more than in any other county. And 

 why is it? He is certainly not a respectable bird, 

 like the starling, for example — if we do not go 

 to the cherry-grower for the starling's character. 

 He is and always has been on the keeper's and 

 farmer's black list, and scarcely a week passes but 

 you will find him described in some gamekeeper's 



29s 



