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Birds-Jackdaw: Quotations from Cyclopedia of Practical Quotations

The Jackdaw of Rheims. An old miser kept a tame jackdaw, that used to steal pieces of money, and hide them in a hole, which a cat observing, asked, "Why he would hoard up those round shining things that he could make no use of?" "Why," said the jackdaw, "my master has a whole chestfull, and makes no more use of them than I do."— SWIFT — Thoughts on Various Subjects.

Jay. What, is the jay more precious than the lark, Because his feathers are more beautiful? C.— Shakespeare — Taming of the Shrew. Act IV. Sc. 3. L. 177.

And startle from his ashen spray, Across the glen, the screaming jay.— WARTON — The Hamlet. Ode 2.

Kingfisher. I can tell you what that bird was a kingfisher, the celebrated halcyon of the ancients about which so many tales are told. It lives on fish which it catches in the manner you saw. It builds in holes in the banks, is a shy retiring bird, never to be seen far from the stream where it inhabits.— JOHN AIKEN — Eyes and Eyes.

She rears her young on yonder tree; She leaves her faithful mate to mind 'em; Like us, for fish she sails to sea, And, plunging, shows us where to find 'em. Yo, ho, my hearts! let's seek the deep, Ply every oar, and cheerly wish her, While slow the bending net we sweep, God bless the fish-hawk and the fisher.— ALEXANDER WILSON — The Fisherman's

Hymn. Lapwing. Changed to a lapwing by th' avenging god, He made the barren waste his lone abode, And oft on soaring pinions hover'd o'er The lofty palace then his own no more.— BEATTIE — Virgil. Pastoral 6.