CROWS 201 



opposite side of the valley, a mile or more away, 

 the Rooks also transferred their abode, and settled 

 again in a belt of trees within a hundred yards of 

 the old proprietor's gates. 



An incident of a somewhat similar character is 

 recorded by Yarrell. In 1824 the late Lord Home 

 wished to destroy a rookery near Coldstream, and 

 after three years, effected his purpose. During the 

 remainder of his life not a single Rook's nest was 

 built on the property, but in 1842, the first spring 

 after his death, the birds returned to the neighbour- 

 hood of their former haunts. 



These incidents might be multiplied indefinitely, 

 but vv hether they are due to some occult knowledge 

 of human affairs, or merely to coincidence, are 

 questions which will probably be decided by the 

 personal bias of those concerned. 



That Rooks are not to be deterred from building 

 by the populous character of their surroundings is 

 shown by the fact that nests are still to be found 

 in London, within the four mile radius, and that, in 

 the centres of other large cities — Edinburgh, Man- 

 chester and Newcastle-on-Tyne, for example — well- 

 tenanted rookeries existed in quite recent times, even 

 if they have now altogether disappeared. 



Although rookeries are usually associated with 

 fairly tall trees, other situations are sometimes 

 chosen, nests having been found in holly-bushes, 

 pollard willows and chimney stacks, and, in some 

 rare instances, even upon the ground. 



In the matter of diet the Rook's taste is varied. 

 That he destroys vast quantities of slugs, worms and 

 various insects is unquestionable, but, none the less, 



