134 THE ROOK. 
wind. This is a magnificent and beautiful sight to the 
eye of an ornithologist. It is idle to suppose for a mo- 
ment that it portends wind. It is merely the ordi- 
nary descent of the birds to an inviting spot beneath 
them, where, in general, some of their associates 
are already assembled, or where there is food to be 
procured. When we consider the prodigious height 
of the rooks at the time they begin to descend, we 
conclude that they cannot effect their arrival at a 
spot perpendicular under them, by any other process 
so short and rapid. 
Rooks remain with us the year throughout. If 
there were a deficiency of food, this would not be 
the case ; for, when birds can no longer support them- 
selves in the place which they have chosen for their 
residence, they leave it, and go in quest of nutriment 
elsewhere. Thus, for want of food, myriads of wild 
fowl leave the frozen north, and repair to milder 
climates ; and in this immediate district, when there 
is but a scanty sprinkling of seeds on the whitethorn 
bush, our flocks of fieldfares and of redwings bear 
no proportion to those in times of a plentiful supply 
of their favourite food, But the number of rooks 
never visibly diminishes ; and on this account we may 
safely conclude that, one way or other, they always 
find a sufficiency of food. Now, if webring, as acharge 
against them, their feeding upon the industry of 
man, as, for example, during the time of a hard frost, 
or at seedtime, or at harvest, at which periods they — 
will commit depredations, if not narrowly watched; 
we ought, in justice, to put down in their favour the 
rest of the year, when they feed entirely upon in- 
