THE ROOK. 145 



" Hence, perhaps the word rookery with us is used for 

 cheating and abusing." 



What labour and how many flights this nest-building 

 causes ! How wonderful the twigs are interlaced, and the 

 bottom and lining made heavy and warm, to prevent de- 

 struction by the wind, and to keep up heat during incuba- 

 tion on the many cold wintry days of early spring ! 



The following is the result of a careful examination of a 

 rook's nest of the year, taken from the rookery at Cowdray 

 Park, where the trees are mostly beech : 



Size of Nest. 



Breadth outside . . . . . . . 1 5 inches. 



inside . . . . . t . 7 



Depth outside . . . . ... 5| 



inside . , . 4^ 



The inner part or hollow of the nest was entirely com- 

 posed of the smaifer twigs of the beech, interlaced in every 

 direction, and on these was the lining, consisting of dried 

 leaves and decayed moss, mixed with a little mould, as is 

 found at the base of the trees amongst the external roots ; 

 also a small quantity of decayed grass, the whole mass 

 being about i^ inch thick, and weighing about 10 ounces. 



The number of sticks and twigs were 493 ; their 

 weight, 2 Ibs. I ounce. One hundred and fifty of these 

 sticks were from 1 1 to 23 inches in length, the thickest 

 twig (oak) 15 inches long and I inch in circumference. 

 The twigs, both oak and beech, were all fresh wood of the 

 year. 



Rooks at times desert their nests and the trees they 

 have been accustomed to. The cause is often a mystery. 

 A remarkable instance occurred in the spring of 1889 : 



" The Elm rookery at Stapelgrove has been completely 

 deserted by the rooks to the number of one hundred and 

 fifty apparently in one day. This might well be con- 

 sidered a very ominous event, presaging death and disaster 

 to the proprietor ; but happily a different explanation can 

 be given. Some men working near observed a pair of 

 crows pillaging the rookery, driving away the rightful 



K 



