BIRDS OF THE WAVE AND WOODLAND 97 



entertaining folk. All through the winter, individuals, or 

 small parties visit their nests, just as if they came to inspect 

 and report upon the condition of "their wicker eyries," and 

 in February these visits become very frequent, the earlier 

 birds pilfering from other nests to add to and strengthen 

 their own. By-and-by the v/hole community begins to 

 assemble, and the rookery is in most amusing uproar all day, 

 for, for some extraordinary reason, they will not leave each 

 other's nests alone, but for the sake of one paltry twig, 

 Will lay themselves open to retaliations, which result in the 

 entire wrecking of their nests by outracred neighbours, who 

 though they are so noisily indignant at the thefts of others, 

 are themselves each in turn soon after caught stealino- and 

 punished. 



And yet somehow or another the nests, in spite of 

 ruinous altercations, manage to get finished, and as soon 

 as eggs are laid, the republic is as orderly as could be 

 expected. But even then, no nest is left undefended. In 

 due course the young rooks are hatched, and the truly 

 terrible task of feeding five mouths is imposed upon the 

 parents. But by constant industry they fulfil their duties, 

 and by the end of April, or early in May, the nestlings 

 scramble off their nests on to the boughs, and by feeble 

 flutterings from point to point, keeping close to their nest 

 all the time, practise and strengthen their wings. Their 

 first fiight to the ground is a sight to watch, for the 



N 



