CHAPTER III 



" The JJocking Rooks, by instinct's native rule, 

 EacJi peaceful scene for their asylitni choose. 



Shenstone. 



Once upon a time rooks were called crows, and as the 

 latter had a very evil reputation, the former suffered for it. 

 Nor is the confusion still extinct, for unfortunately there 

 are obstinate people in the world who will not understand 

 that it makes any difference whether they use a right name 

 or a wrong one. It will be very long before the water-vole 

 ceases to be called a water-rat ; but until that time comes, 

 an innocent animal will continue to be persecuted for a guilty 

 one. So with the honest rooks. There are plenty of people 

 who insist on calling them crows, and having given the bird 

 a bad name proceed to hang him up as a "scare-crow" to 

 warn his useful relatives off the field which they would 

 otherwise rid of wire-worms and grubs. 



That rooks do some mischief is beyond doubt. When the 

 ground is frost-bound, and it cannot persecute the farmer's 



