268 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



young birds get the use of their wings very quickly, 

 and their instinct rather seems to be to wander than 

 to remain in the immediate vicinity of their birth- 

 place. 



Some think that the old birds endeavour to entice 

 them away as much as possible, knowing what is 

 coming. It may be doubted if that is the case with 

 respect to the very young birds ; but when the 

 young ones are capable of something like extended 

 flight, and can cross a field without much difficulty, 

 I think the parents do attempt to lead them away. 

 When the shooting is in progress, if you will go a little 

 distance from the rookery, out of the excitement of 

 the sport, you may sometimes see two old rooks, one 

 on each side of a young one, cawing to it with all 

 their might. The young bird is, perhaps, on the 

 ground, or on a low hedge, and the old birds are evi- 

 dently endeavouring to get it to move. Yet they 

 have not learned the only way in which that can be 

 done that is, by starting themselves and flying a 

 short distance, and waiting, when the young bird will 

 almost invariably follow. 



If you approach the trio, the two old birds at once 

 take flight, seeing your gun, and the young bird in a 

 few seconds goes after them. Had they the sense to 

 repeat this operation, they might often draw the 

 young one away from danger ; as for their cawing, 

 it does not seem to be quite understood by their 

 offspring, who have hardly yet learned their own 

 language. 



