Nidification of the Sparrow, Blackbird, and Rook. 549 



complete rottenness, while the upper parts were constructed 

 with new materials. 



I do not know the age to which rooks live; but I believe 

 that the same pair will build and rear their broods, for several 

 years together, in the same nest, with some little addition. 

 This fact appears to me to be proved by the rooks often, in 

 large numbers, visiting their rookeries once or twice before the 

 time of building, as if to reconnoitre, lest any intruders should 

 have taken possession of their domiciles. When the time of 

 building arrives, frequent disputes occur, and long and violent 

 is often the contest. Two instances I have witnessed, in which 

 one pair of rooks took possession of a nest which was disputed 

 by another pair, and a furious contest ensued ; and, in both 

 instances, the claimants, finding they could not obtain pos- 

 session, or drive off the intruders, actually carried away every 

 stick of the nests, and constructed their own with them. 



Sparrows' Nests built in a Rook's Nest. While on the 

 subject of the nests of rooks, I will just mention what appeared 

 to me very remarkable at that time. I was then about twelve 

 years of age. On my climbing up to a cluster of rooks-' 

 nests (nine or ten, all built, as it were, en masse), I was agree- 

 ably surprised to find two sparrows' (Passer domesticus) nests, 

 one containing four eggs, and the other six : the latter were in 

 a forward state of incubation. I have since heard further 

 instances of the same kind. On another occasion, I found a 

 blackbird's nest, nicely placed in the forks of the branches 

 upon which were built five or six rooks' nests. So near was 

 the blackbird's nest to the rooks, that I could scarcely pass 

 my hand into it. It was the most compact nest I ever saw of 

 the species, and contained four young ones, all nearly fledged. 

 As the blackbird generally builds in retired situations, and 

 near the ground, I was much surprised on finding one built in 

 so lofty a situation; and, on mentioning the circumstance to 

 the gardener of the gentleman upon whose premises I found 

 the nest, he in some measure accounted for it (assuming these 

 to be the birds he alluded to) as follows : — He said he had been 

 greatly annoyed by a pair of blackbirds, which had built three 

 nests in the shrubbery, all of which he had destroyed, as he 

 counted the blackbird a great enemy to his cherries. At last, 

 he said, he had driven them out of the shrubbery, and he 

 supposed they had taken advantage of the rookery. 



The Rook not the only Bird that uses the old Materials 

 in the Construction of its Nest. In the summer of 1828, 

 a wren built her nest between the rafters and the ceiling 

 of a stable that stood in my kitchen-garden, there being suffi- 

 cient room for the birds to pass in and out over the door when 



