264 



"situations in which they grow, far distant from any 

 "trees by which they could have been produced, and 

 " where it is very evident that they have not been 

 " planted by man." 



About two and a half years after noting these 

 occurrences I had a fresh experience in connection 

 with another Rook who did the same thing. The first 

 one had been duly returned to his owners at the end 

 of their month's vacation, and had unfortunately died 

 after about a year, much to the grief of the whole 

 family, to whom he had greatly endeared himself, no 

 less by his affectionate disposition than by the many 

 mischievous and humorous tricks he was constantl}' 

 developing. I mention this to shew that the bird which 

 appeared on my lawn one February day was therefore 

 not my old acquaintance. At this particular time the 

 weather was exceedingly cold and windy,with hard frosts 

 every night, though it did not freeze during the day. 



As is my usual custom in hard weather I had 

 placed on the grass close to the house a small heap of 

 scraps, which was a great attraction to Starlings and 

 other birds, leading to many squabbles and fights. 

 Now and then a Starling would take a large piece of 

 bacon rind some distance away so as to secure a more 

 uninterrupted chance of negociating it. While one of 

 them was thus engaged in violent efforts to make a 

 satisfactory meal from such a piece, I saw a Rook 

 suddenly fly down, apparently from no where in par- 

 ticular, and drive the lesser bird away. Then, pinning 

 the tough morsel down with his feet like a hawk, he 

 tore it up and soon fini.shed it. He next solemnly 

 stalked for a few yards towards where the main body 

 of small birds was engaged at what we may call the 



