142 BRITISH BIRDS. 



river. A general cry of distress ensued: the birds 

 hovered with every expression of anxiety over their dis- 

 tressed companion, and, at length, he sprang into the air, 

 and, by one strong effort, reached the point of rock 

 which projected into the water. Now the joy became 

 universal ; but, alas ! it was soon changed into lament- 

 ation ; for the poor wounded bird, in attempting to fly 

 towards its nest, dropped into the river, and was drowned 

 amidst the lamentations of his whole fraternity. 



Parent birds do not shrink from long- continued ef- 

 fort, when this is rendered necessary. In a hot summer, 

 some years ago, many of the young brood of rooks of the 

 season perished for want. As the mornings were with- 

 out dew, few or no worms were to be obtained, and the 

 tender birds were found dead on the trees. The cries 

 of those that remained were very distressing, as no relief 

 could be given them. The old birds seemed to suffer 

 without complaint ; and it was pleasing to observe the 

 perseverance they displayed to relieve their famishing 

 offspring, many of them remaining out in pursuit of food 

 quite in the dusk, and returning to their roosts long 

 after the period of retiring. 



The rook is, therefore, a friend to the farmer. In 

 ignorance or forgetfulness of this, many a rookery has 

 been destroyed; and from the increase of destructive 



