INCREASING BIRDS IN BRITAIN 351 



until by the end of the month all were gone back 

 to their homes in the north-^U but the two or three 

 to half a dozen pairs in each village. An4 these few 

 that stay behind are new colonists in West Cornwall. 



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 pre- 

 sently ; 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 i 

 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 or farmer's journal 



