224 BIRDS AND MAN 



in legions, having their rookeries in the park, 

 but, throughout the forest, daws, carrion crows, 

 jays, and magpies are abundant. The jackdaws 

 outnumber all the other species (rooks included) 

 put together ; they literally swarm, and their 

 ringing, yelping cries may be heard at aU hours 

 of the day in any part of the forest. In March, 

 when they are nesting, their numbers are con- 

 centrated in those parts of the forest where the 

 trees, beech and oak, are very old and have 

 hollow trunks. In some places you wiU find 

 many acres of wood where every tree is hollow 

 and apparently inhabited. Yet there are doubt- 

 less some hoUow trees into which the. daw is not 

 permitted to intrude. The wood-owl is common 

 here, and is presumably well able to hold his 

 castle against all aggressors. If one could but 

 chmb into the airy tower, and, sitting invisible, 

 watch the siege and defence and the many 

 strange incidents of the war between these 

 feathered foes ! The da,w, bold yet cautious, 

 venturing a Uttle way into the dim interior, 

 with shrill threats of ejectment, ruffling his grey 

 pate and peeping down with his small, malicious, 

 serpent-like grey eyes ; the owl puffing out his 



