THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 
remote. ‘The earliest settlers in some of these London 
rookeries found their food in the fields below the trees ; 
their latest descendants have to fly miles to and fro for 
every morsel they eat or on which they nourish their 
broods. Not only so, but these town Rooks seem to be 
born with an inherited love for the Metropolis, and 
actually found new colonies wherever a suitable spot 
occurs. One of the most interesting examples of this 
fact known to me, and, indeed, one of the most interesting 
rookeries in London, is situated in the gardens between 
Calcott Road and ‘Torbay Road, at Brondesbury. Up- 
wards of a dozen nests occupy some low trees of an age 
about the same as the houses near them. The most 
amazing thing is that the Rooks should have settled in 
such a pent-up spot when plenty of better sites exist in 
the neighbourhood. Pages of interesting matter could be 
filled relating to the idiosyncrasies of the Rook, but we 
must now pass on to a brief review of its habits. ‘The 
bird is by far the most social and gregarious of the British 
Crows, and lives in societies throughout the year For 
the most part the Rooks breeding in London leave the 
nest-trees as soon as the young can fly, only resorting to 
them for nesting purposes, and passing the remainder 
of the year on the fields and open spaces, roosting in 
certain spots regularly. "The Rook flies powerfully with a 
measured beat of wing, but sometimes performs various 
aerial evolutions, notably one called ‘ shooting,” or 
descending quickly from a great height almost per- 
pendicularly to the ground or trees below. Country 
people say this portends wind. ‘The note of the Rook is 
too well known to require description here, the familiar 
caw being by no means an unpleasing sound. ‘The food 
of this bird consists chiefly of worms, grubs, grain, acorns, 
and any carrion that may chance to fall in the bird’s 
way. Itisa bird of great use to the farmer and gardener, 
and deserves every encouragement from man. ‘The Rook 
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