ROOK. 297 



eggs. Both birds labour incessantly to collect food for their 

 young when hatched, and may be seen early and late convey- 

 ing it with distended mouth, for the dilatable skin under the 

 tongue, common to most Passerine birds, is in this species, 

 from being bare of feathers and of a whitish colour, rendered 

 particularly conspicuous. The young are fledged about the 

 middle of May, and then leave the nest for the nearest 

 branches, on which they sit, occasionally trying their powers 

 in short trips from bough to bough. About the end of that 

 month or the beginning of June, they are able to follow their 

 parents to the fields, where they are still fed for a time, but 

 soon learn to get their own living. The nest-trees are then 

 in most cases deserted for some time, and all the members 

 of the rookery roost together night after night in any con- 

 venient wood, whence at an early hour they repair in flocks 

 to their feeding-grounds. As the day draws on the birds 

 break up into smaller parties and range widely in their 

 ceaseless search for victual. Whenever the main body are 

 feeding, or otherwise engaged on the ground, two or three 

 individuals are generally seen posted, like sentinels, in trees 

 close by, whose note of caution or alarm is perfectly under- 

 stood by the rest, and surprise is thereby avoided. Towards 

 evening the scattered bands gradually collect in some par- 

 ticular spot, until the whole body is once more united. 

 Those that have fared the best arrive earliest at the meeting- 

 place, which may be an open field or a clump of high trees, 

 and are joined by the rest according to the success they have 

 found. All sit gravely, and but little noise is heard as they 

 assemble. Shortly before sunset some signs of impatience 

 are shewn, and an occasional movement is made by a few 

 restless birds who sweep round over the others and alight in 

 a new position. Suddenly a loud rush of wings announces 

 the general rising, and off goes the entire multitude with 

 slow and measured flight on their return homewards. Mostly 

 silent hitherto or only by chance uttering a note, as the birds 

 near the roosting-placc all find their voices, and reaching it, 

 the air is filled with the tumult of sounds that bursts from 

 so many throats, the Daws that have been their almost con- 



