BLACK JACKDAW, 137 



It has been doubted by some modern ornithologists 

 whether this bird is really distinct from, or only as 

 considered by Latham, a variety of the Common 

 Jackdaw. Degland says: — "This is a very doubtful 

 species, I have never seen it. An individual, said to 

 be this species, killed in a garden at Bergues, I am 

 convinced is only a variety of the Common Jackdaw. 

 The specimens indicated by M. Millet, in the 'Faune 

 de Maine-et-Loire,' are also Common Jackdaws, 

 according to M. de Lamotte, by whom they have been 

 examined. Vieillot said that a young individual was 

 in the cabinet of the Count di Riocourt, and an adult 

 in the Museum of Natural History at Paris. M. 

 Selys-Longchamps has examined the Paris specimen 

 and found it different, but thought that it had come 

 from North America, because he found it formed part 

 of a lot of skins bought in Poland, and among which 

 were some American species, — among others Sylvia 

 anthoides." — "Orn. Europ.," vol. i, page 321. 



But this after all is only negative evidence, and not 

 of a very strong kind — for this species is not included 

 among Prince C. Bonaparte's "Birds of North America." 

 Schlegel admits it into the European Catalogue, but 

 refrains from making any remarks upon it, because he 

 had never seen the bird; and it is not included in 

 Machado's "List of the Birds of Andalusia," published 

 in 1854, though Spain has been said to be its head 

 quarters. 



On the other hand it has been admitted as a species 

 by Frisch in 1739-63; by Gmelin; by Brisson in 1760; 

 by Vieillot in 1817; Temminck in 1835; and Bonaparte, 

 Schlegel, etc., of more modern days. 



Brisson, one of the most correct naturalists that ever 

 lived, describes it very minutely and clearly. Tern- 



