ROOK. 543 



lodged, or perforates the earth. If you watch a flock of these 

 birds spread over a meadow, you will observe that if the wind 

 be high they always proceed against it, but if it be calm, move 

 about in all directions, very seldom interfering with each other. 

 Selecting an individual for observation, you see that he walks 

 along in a quiet manner, not ungracefully, with his body ele- 

 vated considerably in front, his wings tucked up over his tail, 

 his neck rather stretched, and his bill directed towards the 

 ground, indicating that the objects of his search lie there. In 

 a short time he picks up a worm and swallows it, or deposits 

 it in his gular bag ; then moves a few steps forward, suddenly 

 stops, eyes the ground attentively for a few moments, rushes 

 onward, and digs with his bill so furiously that the worm which 

 he thus endeavours to seize must be nimble indeed if it can 

 escape him. Now he attacks a large tuft of the hair-grass, Aira 

 csespitosa, and after much labour succeeds in digging it up by 

 the roots, among which you perceive he has found several small 

 grubs. In this manner he goes on for an hour or more, his 

 companions all the time similarly occupied, and generally in 

 silence. But now one of them on the outskirts rises on wing, 

 and with loud cries gives intimation of danger to the rest, who 

 instantly spring up, and amid much clamour and some confu- 

 sion ascend, and fly olf to some distant field. Open pastures 

 and large fields are always preferred when a choice may be had, 

 but sometimes they venture close to hedges, copses, or woods, 

 or even visit gardens and orchards. In this case however they 

 are particularly vigilant, and very frequently one or more indi- 

 viduals are seen perched on a wall or tree, apparently for the 

 purpose of watching over the rest. It is generally early in the 

 morning that they pay their visits to the gardens, dunghils, 

 and streets. 



In their distant flights they commonly proceed at a consider- 

 able height, moving with moderate speed, in a straggling dis- 

 orderly band, often, especially at the outset, with much noise. 

 Their flight is of that kind which I call sedate, being performed 

 by regularly- timed rather slow beats of the expanded wings, 

 direct, without undulations, and capable of being greatly pro- 

 tracted. Sometimes on one of their excursions, when passing 



