ii8 Our Bird Friends. 



Occasionally the male Rook took a turn upon 

 the nest, whilst his wife floAv awa}^ on a food- 

 hunting expedition. 



If a brood of young Rooks should enjoy the 

 good fortune to escape the gunner on pie-making 

 intent, and get away to the fields Avith their parents, 

 they are instructed in the gentle art of finding and 

 extracting the larvae of all sorts of flies, drawing 

 obstinate Avorms from their hiding-places Avitbout 

 breaking them, and otber items of field craft. One 

 day I watched a brood of four so engaged. They 

 observed their mother A'cry closely, and Avlicncver 

 she made a find they all croAvded A'cry closely round 

 her, shaking their drooping Avings and 7v^/, 7v^^ 7v^(-ing 

 their "Me first, mother, please!" as loudly as CA'cr 

 tliey could. By-and-by they tried to help her. but 

 soon got tired and disappointed, so sat in a bunch 

 and talked over old times Avhen they lived in a 

 nest. 



After a wbile old mother Hook thought they had 

 better shift to the other side of the field, Avhere 

 there Avere not so many friends and neigh) )()urs on 

 the same quest as themselves ; so she called her 

 children, and aAvay they all flcAV. T^pon alighting, 

 one of her sons had the great good fortune to espy 

 a fine fat Avorm Avriggling out of bis tunnel by the 

 end of a drain. He Avas upon it in a tick, swal- 

 lowed it, and then retired to the topmost rail of an 

 old Avooden fence to Avipe his beak and congratulate 

 himself. 



