hooe: shooting. 143 



huimii"- this covey of black game by means of a crossbow. On the 

 )pposite side lived a curious old civilian, who oDservmg Irom Ins 

 itudy that the rooks often dropped senseless from their perch or, 

 IS it may be said, without using a figure, hojopedthe twig, makmg 

 10 sio-n ' nor any sign being made to his vision to account lor tiie 

 )henomenon, set his wits to work to consider the cause. It was 

 )robable during ^profitless time of peace, and the Doctor having 

 )lenty of leisure, weighed the matter over and over, till he was 

 it length fully satisfied that he had made a great ormthological 

 liscovery, that its promulgation would give wmgs to bis tame, 

 md that he was fated by means of these rooks to 



' Volito vivus per era virum.' 



Eis goosequill and foolscap were quickly in requisition, and he 

 ictually mote a treatise statmg circumstantiaUy what heMmselt 

 liad seen, and, in conclusion, giving it as the settled conviction ot 

 tiis mmd that rooks were subject to i\itfaUi7igsichiess ! ^ 



Rookeries are famous for their strites and contentions, ihe 

 birds are singularly sharp, and very clever at takm- wha. does not 

 belong to thera; and these invasions on the rights ol property 

 sause immediate reprisals, and restitution of the stolen goods We 

 bave often seen nests torn to pieces by what may be termed gene^ 

 ml acclamation, and their occupants drummed out ot the society. 

 They display great economy in the building of then: nests, almost 

 invariably using the old one, when it happens ;to be i)reseived. 

 TheTtrim it up afresh, and place the softer articles m it, for.the 

 eggs and the young. They begin to build m March; one brmg- 

 £- materials, while the other watches the nest,, lest it should be 

 plmdered by its brethi'en. They lay five or six eggs, of a pale 

 green coloui', marked with smaU browmsh sjDots After the breed- 

 m- season rooks forsake then: nest-trees,.gomg to roost elsewhere ; 

 but return to them in August, and agam m October, when they re- 



^^TherTis^one^ trait in the character of the rook wluch is peculiar 

 to that bird, and which does him 119 Httle credit : it is the distress 

 which he exhibits when one of his own kmd has been killed or 

 wounded by a gun, while feeding in a field or flying over it. In- 

 stead of being scared awaj by the report of the piece leaving the 

 wounded or dead bnd to its fate, he shows the greatest anxiety and 

 sympathy for him, uttering cries of distress, and plainly proving 

 that he wishes, if he can, to render his brother some assistance. 

 He hovers over him, and sometimes makes a dart from the air close 

 up to him, apparently to try and divine the reason why he hngers 

 behind. 



" While circling round and round 

 He calls his lifeless comrade from the ground." 



» Houe's Every-Diiy Book. 



