126 THE ROOK. CHAP. vn. 



exhibiting its mimicking powers ; whereas now, I 

 considered this to be neither more nor less than the 

 bird's own natural melody. And if there be any 

 change in the delight with which I hear the Sedge- 

 warbler, although I have now turned the corner of 

 ten times six, and have become an old cobbler instead 

 of a juvenile factory operative, yet when I hear the 

 little songster, I drink in the pleasure with even 

 greater delight than I did in those long-past years." 



The Eook, too, is in a measure nocturnal in his 

 habits during a certain term of the year, especially 

 when building his nest or when bringing up his pro- 

 geny. From the time when the foundation of the nest 

 has been laid, to the end of the matrimonial proceed- 

 ings for the year, and until the last chick has left the 

 nest, the rookery is in a state of continual caw-cawing 

 from morning till night. As the young brood of 

 rooks grow up, their appetites increase, and hence 

 the incessant labour of their parents in scouring the 

 country for worms and grubs to furnish them with 

 their late supper or their early morning breakfast. 



" I once," says Edward, " during one of my country 

 excursions, slept beside a very large rookery in the 

 woods of Forglen. Slept ? no, I could not sleep ! 

 I never was in the midst of such a hideous bedlam of 

 cawings. I positively do not believe that a single 

 member of that black fraternity slept during the 

 whole of that night. At least I didn't. If the hubbub 

 slackened for a moment, it was only renewed with 



