File:Britain's birds and their nests (1910) (14732379826).jpg

Identifier: britainsbirdsthe00thom (find matches)
Title: Britain's birds and their nests
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Thomson, Arthur Landsborough, Sir, 1890- Thomson, J. Arthur (John Arthur), 1861-1933 Rankin, George
Subjects: Birds -- Great Britain Birds -- Nests
Publisher: London : W. & R. Chambers
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ecome as integral a part of thename as Jack has of Jackdaw. The strictness of present - day game - preserving isresponsible for the scarcity of the Magpie in manydistricts, but it is on the whole quite as common aspecies as even the disinterested bird-lover would wish.For although it obtains an honest living at many timesof the year, at others it adopts the thieving habitstypical of the family. Its depredations are in no wayconfined to game, and a pair of Pies in a district will dogreat damage to the eggs and young of all the smallerbirds. Though scarce in particular places, the Magpieis widely distributed throughout England and Wales;but in Scotland it becomes uncommon as we proceednorthwards. In Ireland it was apparently unknown tilllate in the seventeenth century. Since then it has be-come common throughout. In winter, considerable gatherings of Magpies may some-times be seen at a roosting-place; but in the nesting seasonthe species is found in pairs. The nest is usually high up in
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Plate JT. JAY—Garruins glandarius. Length, 14-25 in. ; wing, 7-25 in. (Passeres : Corvicte.)2 E 242 BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 5243 the fork of a lofty tree, but at other times may be in a bushor hedge within reach of the ground. In Norway it isoccasionally under the eaves of houses or on the ground.The structure of the nest is elaborate and typical. Afoundation of turf or clay is made, and on this is builta substantial nest of twigs and thorny sticks. This iscontinued to form a complete dome, covering in the hollowof the nest, but leaving an opening in one side. Theinterior is well lined with roots and dry grass. This domednest may be considered as a comparatively recent improve-ment on the ordinary crow-type of architecture, a supposi-tion that is strengthened by the fact that the six or moreeggs are of the usual crow-type—not unlike the Jackdaws,in fact—instead of being white, as one might perhapsexpect in a concealed situation. THE JAY (Qarrulus glandarius).Plate 77. T

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