232 
CORVIDAE. 
INSESS ORES. 
COXIROSTRES. 
CORVIDJE. 
JACKDAW. 
CORVUS MONEDULA. 
PLATE LX. FIG. II. 
The Jackdaw builds its nest in many opposite situa¬ 
tions ; most commonly in holes of ruins, in lofty cliurcli 
steeples, being numerous in our cathedrals ; in cliffs and 
precipices, and sometimes in holes of decayed trees. In 
addition to these localities, Mr. H. T. Frere states in the 
“ Zoologist/" that he has seen a nest of this species about 
thirty feet from the ground upon a bough close to the 
bole of a silver fir-tree. A most curious instance is men¬ 
tioned by White in his “ History of Selborne,"" in which 
he states that a race of these birds took it into their 
heads to breed in the burrows of a rabbit-warren. 
The nest is composed of sticks, lined with wool, dry 
grass, and such like materials ; an almost incredible 
quantity being sometimes used to form its foundation in 
a chimney or hollow tree, and raise it to the required 
height. Mr. Wolley says that he saw the nest in the 
turret at Eton, mentioned by Mr. Jesse; that it was, he 
believes, raised no less than nine feet from its founda¬ 
tion ; “ taking its rise from two or three steps of the cir¬ 
cular stairs, it was built up compactly, and of a nearly 
uniform breadth, to a lancet window in the perpendicular 
wall, the bottom of which window was not otherwise 
sufficiently wide to support a nest/" The eggs are four 
or five in number, and do not differ materially. 
