impossibilities. Thinking it absolutely necessary that a frame- 

 work of sticks should be laid in the hole or cavity as the 

 foundation of the nest, he brings to the opening just such 

 sticks as the rook would use in open spaces, and may be seen 

 trying for a quarter of an hour together to get a stick into a 

 hole, holding it by the middle all the time, so that the ends 

 prop against each side, and make the endeavour impossible. 

 He cannot understand how it is ; he knows that sticks ought to 

 go into holes, but here is one that will not ; and, tired out at 

 length, and thinking perhaps that it is in the nature of some 

 sticks not to be got into a hole by any means, he drops it down 

 and fetches another, probably to have no better result, and this 

 may happen several times. But jackdaws have perseverance, 

 and so, with trying and trying again, he meets with sticks that 

 are not so self-willed, and that can be put into holes, either by 

 being short enough or held the right way, and so the foundation 

 is laid, and the easier part of the work goes on merrily ; for the 

 jackdaw is at no loss for sheets and blankets for his children's 

 bed, though we cannot see them in our picture, the clamorous 

 children lying at the very edge of their bed. But if we could 

 examine it, we should most likely be amused by what we should 

 find. The jackdaw takes for this purpose anything soft that comes 

 readily — we cannot say to hand — but to bill. In this respect 

 he resembles the sparrow, and being, like him, fond of human 

 society, gleans up out of his neighbourhood all that he needs 

 for the comfort of his nestlings. Thus we hear of a nest, built 

 in the ruins of Holyrood Chapel, in which, on its being looked 

 into for a piece of lace which was supposed to be there, it was 

 found also to be lined with part of a worsted stocking, a silk 



