324 
CORVIDAE. 
daws breed in numbers in the rabbit holes on low earthy knolls, 
in Hillsborough Park (Down). The gamekeeper one morning in 
May, 1847, took from 150 to 170 eggs out of the nests with his 
hands, without any digging. They were about arm's length 
from the entrance. The eggs were destroyed, on account of the 
birds being supposed to annoy the rabbits by partly filling up 
their burrows with sticks, numbers of which, that the jackdaws 
evidently could not get into the holes, lie about the place. The 
nests are built of dried grasses and roots, intermixed with a few 
pieces of stick. The eyes of the young birds can be seen by 
persons looking into the holes. Old trees are abundant in this 
demesne, as well as in Massareene Park, where these birds simi- 
larly take advantage of the burrows of the rabbit. At Spring- 
mount, county of Antrim, three or four pair build annually, 
like magpies, in the tree-tops. Jackdaws are more prolific than 
the rook or the grey crow ; they occasionally lay six eggs. 
June the 21 st, 1842. At the cliffs adjacent to Dunluce Castle, 
on the northern coast of Antrim, I was much amused by witness- 
ing the attack of jackdaws on a grey crow, which appeared over 
the cliffs where they build. Pirst, one sallied boldly after and 
struck him repeatedly ; it was almost instantly joined by a second, 
which was immediately followed by a third, all of them dashing 
at the crow, and striking him both from above and below. The 
persecuted bird turned back and alighted on the turf near the 
summit of the cliff, as did two of the jackdaws also, but at a 
respectful distance. The crow maintained his ground boldly, 
and looked , — for all was conducted on both sides in solemn silence, 
— as much as to say, “ Come on, I'm ready for you both." The 
jackdaws too, for a time, remained perfectly still, but eventually 
approached within a yard or two of their enemy, and then flew off, 
leaving him at the very spot on which he had alighted. The whole 
was pantomimic, not a note being uttered by any of the three birds. 
Soon after the jackdaw's departure, the crow took wing and flew 
again over the cliff, when he was attacked just as before, with the 
difference, that on this occasion the jackdaws were very vociferous, 
and the croak of the crow was occasionally uttered. He did not 
