47 
They sometimes do much mischief in 
Dove-houses, and we are informed by the 
Rev. Mr. Whitear, that an instance lately 
occurred at Ringstead, in which a Jack- 
daw killed and partly devoured an old 
pigeon, and then deliberately laid its own 
egg close to the two upon which the 
pigeon was sitting. 
They have likewise been observed to 
take small fish. 
This bird or its varieties are said to be 
found in Europe, Western Siberia, and 
Persia. Gmelin enumerates nine vari- 
eties. They are sometimes found in this 
country quite white; and we have seen a 
specimen which was killed at Taverham, 
most elegantly mottled with black and 
white. 
