110 



THE JACKDAW. 



may see the jackdaw trying, for a quarter of an 

 hour, to get a stick into the hole ; while every 

 attempt will be futile, because^ the bird having laid 

 hold of it by the middle, it is necessarily thrown at 

 right angles with the body ; and the daw cannot 

 possibly perceive that the stick ought to be nearly 

 parallel with its body^ before it can be conveyed 

 into the hole. Fatigued at length with repeated 

 efforts, and completely foiled in its numberless at- 

 tempts to introduce the stick, it lets it fall to the 

 ground ; and immediately goes in quest of another, 

 probably to experience another disappointment on 

 its return. When time and chance have enabled it 

 to place a quantity of sticks at the bottom of the 

 hole, it then goes to seek for materials of a more 

 pliant and a softer nature. 



The shrill and quickly repeated notes of the 

 jackdaw, especially during incubation, are far from 

 being unpleasant to the ear which is accustomed to 

 rural sounds ; but very few people have an oppor- 

 tunity of paying attention to them, as this bird is 

 by no means a general favourite with man. It is 

 commonly accused of sucking eggs : but eggs form 

 no part of its diet, otherwise it would be a bad 

 neighbour here ; and ringdoves, house-doves, wag- 

 tails, fowls, and ducks would wish it far away. 

 It is vastly fond of peas and cherries. When these 

 are done, the jackdaw repairs to the pastures, where 

 it devours an incredible number of insects. 



After the young have left the nest, they join the 

 rooks, and roost with them in the surrounding 

 woods till near the autumnal equinox ; when both 



