WATCHING ROOKS 259 



ing they kiss and part, and, between whiles, the 

 poor longing grove stands lifeless, dreams and waits. 

 But how different would it seem if the rooks were 

 a crowd of men — nice, cheery, jovial, picturesque, 

 civilised men ! Thank heaven, they are a crowd 

 of rooks ! 



I will now quote from my journal : 



"Walking over some arable land that rises gently 

 into a slight hill, my attention is attracted by a num- 

 ber of rooks hanging in the air, just above a small 

 clump of elm - trees on its crest. They keep alter- 

 nately rising and falling as they circle over the trees, 

 often perching amongst them, but soon gliding upwards 

 from them again. A very common action is for two to 

 hover, one above another, getting gradually quite close 

 together, when both sinking, one may almost say fall- 

 ing, rapidly, the upper pursues the under one, striking 

 at it — either in jest or earnest, but probably the former 

 — both with beak and claws. The downward plunge 

 would end in a long swoop, first to right or left, and 

 then again upwards, during which the two would be- 

 come separated and mingled with the general troop. 

 This action, more or less defined and perfect, was con- 

 tinued again and again, and there were generally one 

 or more pairs of birds engaged in it. The rest rose 

 and fell, many together, and obviously enjoying each 

 other's society, but without any special conjunction of 

 two or more in a joint manoeuvre. Their descents 

 were often of a rushing nature, and accompanied with 

 such sudden twists and turns as, sometimes, seemed to 

 amount to a complete somersault in the air — though as 

 to this I will not be too certain. The whole seemed 

 the outcome of pure enjoyment, and seen in the clear 



