250 
JAYS AND MAGPIES. 
considers a prize, and carries off to its hoard. In 
the ruins of Holyrood Chapel, in Edinburgh, a 
Jackdaw was one day seen flying away with a large 
piece of lace, towards its nest ; a soldier undertook 
to climb up and recover it. He did so, but was 
surprised to find not only the stolen lace, hut the 
following strange assortment of articles ; — part of 
a- worsted-stocking, a silk-handkerchief, a frill, a 
child’s cap, besides several other things, hut so 
ragged and worn out, that it was impossible to make 
out what they were. 
JAYS AND MAGPIES. 
It is remarkable how exactly similar are the habits 
and propensities of birds of the same tribe or family, 
though of a different species. Thus the Jays of 
North America are of various sorts, entirely differ- 
ing from our English Jays in parts, or the whole of 
their plumage ; and yet in their manners scarcely a 
difference is observable. We have before remarked, 
that these and some other birds will just keep out 
of the range of gun-shot, as if they had learned, 
either from experience, or by some unknown mode 
of communication from their older companions, that 
provided they never allowed a shooter to come within 
a given distance, they were quite safe. But the 
American Jays we are speaking of have no such 
knowledge, founded upon experience, as is fully 
proved by the account of an English officer'"', who 
was travelling in a very wild unfrequented part of 
* Captain Sir Francis Head. 
