132 THE ROOK. © 
movements. The ringdoves will assemble in count- 
less multitudes, the finches will unite in vast as- 
semblies, and waterfowl] will flock in thousands to 
the protected lake, during the dreary months of 
winter: but, when the returning sun spreads joy and 
consolation over the face of nature, their congregated 
numbers are dissolved, and the individuals retire in 
pairs to propagate their respective species. The 
rook, however,remains in society the year throughout. 
In flocks it builds its nest, in flocks it seeks for food, 
and in flocks it retires to roost. 
About two miles to the eastward of this place are. 
the woods of Nostell Priory, where, from time im- 
memorial, the rooks have retired to pass the night. 
I suspect, by the observations which I have been 
able to make on the morning and evening transit of 
these birds, that there is not another roosting-place 
for, at least, thirty miles to the westward of Nostell 
Priory. Every morning, from within a few days of 
the autumnal, to about a week before the vernal 
equinox, the rooks, in congregated thousands upon 
thousands, fly over this valley in a westerly direction, 
and return, in undiminished numbers, to the east, an 
hour or so before the night sets in. In their 
morning passage, some stop here; others, in other 
favourite places, farther and farther on; now re- 
pairing to the trees for pastime, now resorting to the 
fields for food, till the declining sun warns those 
which have gone farthest to the westward that it is 
time they should return. They rise in a mass, re- 
ceiving additions to their numbers from every inter- 
vening place, till they reach this neighbourhood in 
