222 LETTERS FROM MARCO n 



Birds of the hawk tribe, and even the 

 lordly eagle, will, when in a loving mood, go 

 through the process of " billing " with their 

 mates. Bartlett, to whom I read that part 

 of your letter relating to swans and owls, said 

 it was no uncommon thing for the latter to 

 make themselves at home in pigeon-houses if 

 they can manage it without interference; 

 and they will eat the eggs and young of other 

 birds if they get the chance. He corrobor- 

 ated what Tegetmeier said about the sparrows 

 and the rooks. Rooks are great nuisances to 

 them at the Zoo ; he says they will steal the 

 food provided for the birds, and eat the eggs 

 and the young of the inmates if they get the 

 opportunity. On one occasion he assured 

 me a rook made off with a swans egg, which, 

 as you know, is of considerable size. He 

 managed this by inserting his bill into the 

 egg, in which was a cygnet almost ready to 

 be hatched. Some part of the unfortunate 

 creature's body gave him a hold, and he 

 carried it about two hundred yards ; but the 



