/;/ the Neighbourhood of Salisbury. 



301 



about. They arc very fond about us of feeding" on the acorns of 

 the ilex oak, in which occupation I have watched them for half-an- 

 hour together. There are eight or nine large ilexes round the Moat, 

 the seat of F. J. E. Jervoise, Esq., and I have frequently noticed quite 

 an animated scene, as the Rooks crowd round them on some fine 

 autumn morning, balancing themselves on the outward sprays of 

 the branches in endeavouring to secure the best vantage-ground 

 from which to secure their coveted prize. It is very amusing, also, 

 to notice how two or more of them will often persecute some un- 

 fortunate Heron to which they have taken a sudden antipathy, pur- 

 suing it relentlessly for a long distance and causing it often to give 

 vent to the most weird and unearthly noises. 



Coruus Monedula. " The Jackdaw/'' Everyone knows " Jack." 

 I have, however, a pair in my collection which not one person out 

 of ten would recognize at first sight. One of them was bred in the 

 Cathedral, and shot on a sheepfold at the neighbouring parish of 

 West Harnham. This bird in its entire plumage presents a most 

 curious medley of brown and grey. The other specimen is of a 

 uniform dun-brown colour ; the bird was six years old, having been 

 kept as a pet by its former owner, when it was unfortunately killed 

 by a cat in the street. I have never seen any other specimens like 

 them at all, though I have now and then seen pied varieties. One 

 of these was a remarkably handsome bird, that gave you the idea 

 that it had been out in a snow-storm and still retained the snow- 

 flakes all over its plumage. This bird I used to see, Sunday after 

 Sunday, as I walked to my duty at Cothelston Church, a little parish 

 lying at the foot of the lovely Quantock Hills, in Somerset, but I 

 could never procure it for my collection. 



Corvus Pica. " The Magpie/'' Not numerous in our district. 

 I do not remember having seen one in this parish more than once 

 or twice ever since I have been here, which speaks pretty plainly of 

 the due attention paid to them by the gamekeepers. There are 

 some, however, left in Clarendon Wood. Mr. Norwood, who has 

 given much attention to the subject, fully believes there are two 

 species of the Magpie found amongst us, though he does not think 

 they are to be divided into the two classes of the Tree and the Bush 



