THE JACKDAW. 
the trapper is baiting his martin-traps, the crow will perch 
npon a tree and quietly watch his proceeding, hut as soon as 
the man’s hack is turned, he will descend from the tree, and, 
with the greatest audacity, devour the bait' 
The wild jackdaw invariably builds its nest in an elevated 
place, for the purpose of protecting its eggs and young from 
weasels, stoats, &c. ; holes and chinks of ruined towers, 
church-steeples, and parapets of bridges, are favourite building- 
sites with the jackdaws. Occasionally, too, the jackdaw will 
take possession of other birds’ nests, merely adding a fresh 
stratum of hay, and make itself perfectly contented in its 
borrowed home. Jack’s notions of architecture are of a very 
shabby kind, its nest consisting merely of a bundle of sticks 
and hay, and is hardly a straw better than that of the rook. 
It lays from four to six eggs, which are in colour dark green, 
spotted with purple and black. The female may readily be 
distinguished from the male, by the darker colour of the hood. 
When full grown the jackdaw measures about fourteen inches 
in length. If you are fortunate enough to get a nest of young 
daws, you must treat them according to the directions given 
in the case of the ravens. If an old bird should come into 
your possession, his wings must be clipped twice a year ; in 
the spring and in the autumn. 
In captivity, the jackdaw is a very amusing and social bird, 
and will generally endeavour to make himself as comfortable 
as possible. Of course, as with all talking-birds, he must be 
allowed a great deal of liberty. 
As a rule, he is cleverer as a trickster than as a talker. 
Still, as will be seen from the examples given, he is quite 
capable of expressing himself intelligibly. The only chance, 
however, if you wish to train a jackdaw, is to obtain one from 
the nest, and feed and tend it entirely yourself. I am informed 
by a celebrated bird-dealer, that the very best way to learn 
a jackdaw to articulate, is to confine it in a room with a docile 
and voluble magpie, especially one who can ask for his food. 
My friend informed me that it was his custom to make a great 
parade of taking in breakfast to the room where the two birds 
were caged. As soon as the magpie saw the food, he would 
flap his wings and exclaim, “ don’t forget me ! don’t forget me !” 
Of course mag was not forgotten. In full view of the other 
poor hungry prisoner, he had his belly filled, never failing to 
utter between every mouthful as it was given him, “ don’t forget 
me.” All this time the famished jackdaw would be in a terrible 
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