VILLAGE BIRDS IN WINTER 247 



a dust-heap where potato-parings and the head of a 

 mackerel or other refuse had been thrown. They 

 were very bold, but not as courageous as the old-time 

 British kite that often swooped to snatch the bread 

 from a child's hand. 



From time to time one, or a pair, of a small party 

 of these daws would drop down on the field before 

 my window when the rooks and starlings were there 

 prodding busily at the turf, but though I watched 

 them a thousand times I never detected them trying 

 to find something for themselves. They simply 

 stood or walked about among the working birds, 

 watching them intently. Grub-finding was an art 

 they had not acquired, or were too indolent or proud 

 to practise ; but they were not too proud to beg or 

 steal ; they simply watched the other birds in the 

 hope of being able to snatch up a big unearthed 

 grub and run away with it. As a rule after a minute 

 or two they would get tired of waiting and rush off 

 with a lively shout. Back they would go to the 

 chimney-pots and to their flying up and down, 

 suspending their flight over this or that yard or 

 garden, and by and by one would succeed in picking 

 up something big, and at once all the other daws in 

 sight would give chase to take it from him ; for these 

 village daws are not only parasites and cadgers, but 

 worse — ^they are thieves without honour among 

 themselves. 



