BIRD NOTES 139 



settled there, and seemed to beg fun of them. Seven 

 Rooks were observed around the nest on the 10th. 

 Young birds were nearly fledged on 24th May, when 

 some brute climbed the tree, and in sheer wanton- 

 ness sawed off the limb, dropping nest and young 

 birds to the ground. In the March of 1897 a pair 

 of Rooks again put in an appearance, remained for 

 a day or two, and then left the place entirely for 

 that year. In 1901 others again looked in for a day 

 or two, and in 1902 two nests were built ; but during 

 a very severe gale both nests were completely 

 destroyed. One might think that the birds weighed 

 the matter over in their minds, and decided in the 

 end that, as an act of Providence had upset their 

 hopes, and not human interference, they might as 

 well try again in 1903, which they did, when no less 

 than seven nests, six of them inhabited, decorated 

 the trees. The good wishes of the townsfolk went 

 out to them, being especially voiced during the gales 

 of March and April, which they survived. Some- 

 thing like a score youngsters were reared, and in 

 time crossed the town to the Breydon marshes with 

 their parents, who had frequently passed and re- 

 passed with provender from the neighbourhood of 

 that favourite estuary. "The oldest inhabitant" 



