124 HABITS OF BIRDS. 



I have seen," he adds, " eight or ten rooks come, 

 upon such occasions, and setting upon the new nest 

 of the young couple, all at once tear it in pieces in 

 a moment. Such is the severity with which even 

 native rooks are treated; but if a foreign rook 

 should attempt to make himself a denizen of their 

 society, he would meet with no favour : the whole 

 grove would at once be up in arms against him and 

 expel him without mercy."* 



Rooks, if we may judge from our own observa- 

 tion, are more particular even than sparrows in the 

 circumstance of having sentinels while they are 

 feeding in parties after the breeding season; for 

 while providing for their young family, they, in 

 general, cater apart. These rook sentinels are so 

 vigilant, that it is by no means easy to get within 

 shot of a foraging party ; and hence it is popularly 

 believed that rooks can smell gunpowder. We 

 have often proved, however, that it is just as diffi- 

 cult to approach them without alarming the senti- 

 nels, when only carrying an umbrella, as when 

 armed with a fowling-piece ; but that they seem to 

 have some knowledge of firearms appears from 

 their being alarmed if a walking-stick is levelled at 

 them, though no noise is made ; a knowledge most 

 probably acquired by the reiterated experience of 

 having their nest-trees fired at when the young are 

 fit to be made into pies. It is stated in some ac- 

 counts of newly-discovered countries, that the birds 

 were not at first frightened by the presentment of a 

 fowling-piece, but soon became so after some ex- 

 perience of its effects. We also think it not un- 

 likely that the crows acquire part of x the skilful vi- 

 gilance which they exhibit as sentinels during the 

 building of their nests, when one of a pair usually 

 watches the nest while the other makes excursions 

 to procure materials. 



* Animated Nature, iii., 168. 



