ROOK 221 



they do not receive half the protection they would have 

 formerly enjoyed." 



Mr. W. Prentis, in his Birds of Rainham says: 

 " Taking my farm as a criterion of the Book's usefulness, 

 throughout the summer I see but few, but when I begin 

 to sow the wheat in the autumn they come by thousands, 

 and continue doing so, off and on, throughout the winter, 

 leaving soon after the barley is sown in the spring. 

 Now if those persons who support a rookery, and where 

 Rooks superabound, were to feed them with several sacks 

 of corn per day, they would then know the worth of the 

 depredators they harbour and encourage." In the Fauna 

 of the " Cedars," Lee, Kent, J. F. Green, Esq., gives the 

 following : " The rookery here is a very ancient affair. 

 The Rooks commence to repair their nests in February, 

 which through the winter months have been used by 

 Tits and other small birds to roost in. I could relate 

 plenty of stories about their peculiarities, but will confine 

 myself to two. In February, 1901, we started hockey 

 for the first time on the cricket-ground. The large elms 

 overshadowing the ground contained the usual Rooks' 

 nest ; but the busy occupants failed to appreciate this 

 innovation, and moved all their nests bodily across the 

 railway to the other side of the grounds. The Rooks 

 (with other birds) are fed every mornitig on the " Cedars " 

 lawn. One Sunday this was forgotten, and I saw a 

 small detachment of the boldest spirits march up to the 

 drawing-room window and commence tapping. A sort 

 of gentle reminder ! With them I often see, and still 

 oftener hear, a pair of Carrion-Crows." 



Notes on the Rook [Corvus frugilegus). — " Tonbridge, 

 March 22, 1857 : There is a rookery in some lofty elm 

 trees close to the town. Observed this morning their 



