THE DAW SENTIMENT 267 



spectacular games and pretty wing displays, are for 

 his own people exclusively. He must have his liberty 

 in the woods and a company of his fellow-jays to 

 exhibit his full lustre. 



The difference between jay and daw is similar 

 to that between fox and dog ; or rather let us say, 

 between one of the small desert foxes of Syria and 

 Egypt — ^the fennec, for instance — and the jackal, 

 the domestic dog's progenitor ; the first gifted with 

 exquisite grace and beauty, was too highly special- 

 ized to suit the domestic condition ; hence the 

 generalized un-beautiful beast was chosen to be 

 man's servant and companion. In the same way it 

 looks as if we were taking to the daw in preference 

 to the' more beautiful bird because he is more like 

 us, or understands us better, or adapts himself 

 more readily to our way of life. 



J believe that about nine out of ten interesting 

 and amusing stories about charming pet birds I 

 have heard in England during the last quarter of a 

 century relate to the daw, and this, I think, goes to 

 show that he is a prime favourite as a feathered pet, 

 at all events in the southern and western counties. 



