NOTES ON THE ROOK. 243 



unusual circumstance, and can only be accounted for from the fact that the 

 weather, for a very long period before the frost set in, had been of an un- 

 usually dry character, so that there had been a great scarcity of the land of 

 food the Rook mostly depends upon— such as worms, &c. — long before the 

 supply was cut oft' by the frost, and still more completely by the snow. 



On the evening of the 11th, the snow had been driven by the violence of 

 the wind from oft" the open fields into the roads and hollows, where it had 

 accumulated in such immense and overwhelming masses, as utterly to im- 

 pede travelling for several days, until a passage had been cut through it; but 

 making ample amends for the inconvenience it caused, by the peculiar and 

 extraordinary beauties it displayed, — the wind, in its eddying course, causing 

 it to assume every possible variety of form, often of the most fantastic kind. 

 In some instances, beautiful architectural designs might be traced. Arches 

 were reared, tunnels were formed, and such a variety of wonderful devices 

 exliibited, as could not fail to arrest the attention, and excite the unbounded 

 admiration, of every lover of the beautiful in Nature, who might have the 

 good fortune to behold them. The whole forming a companion scene to the 

 one briefly noticed at the commencement of these Notes, but far exceeding 

 it in grandeur and sublimity. The cold had increased since the previous 

 day, the thermometer having this morning marked 6°. From this date, there 

 was but little variation in the temperature until the 18th, when the frost at- 

 tained its greatest intensity, the mercury having fallen exactly to Zero. At 

 this time, the cold was, and had been for some days previously, of the most 

 searching character, freezing both by day and night, even in rooms in which 

 constant fires had been kept. It now began gradually to decrease, as in- 

 dicated by the thermometer, till on the 24th a rapid thaw commenced, which 

 has since continued and apj)ears to have become general ; and thus has end- 

 ed as interesting, if not as severe, a frost as it has been my lot to remember. 



The rookery here has been for some years in a thriving, and latterly, in a 

 I'apidly increasing condition. Ten or twelve years ago, there were but about 

 forty nests. Last year, they numbered two hundred and thirty-seven ; and 

 it is to be hoped there will, this year, be a further increase, notwithstanding 

 the recent mortaUty which has occurred. A rookery is not only productive 

 of infinite amusement to those who maj^ be located in its vicinity, but by 

 attentively observing the habits and manners of its sable inhabitants, it may 

 also become highly instructive. It will not fail to be perceived, that although 

 occasional squabbles take place, yet, upon the whole, a degree of order is 

 observed which even the best forms of government among ourselves fail to 

 produce ; the occupants of each nest are mostly seen quietly attending to 

 their own affairs, without intermeddling with those of their neighbours, 

 which is a great deal more than can be said of any community of men, or 

 women either. And then the unbroken, unchanging affection which is seen 

 to exist between husband and wife, parents and off"8pring, indicates a state 



