270 WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



quarters of a mile or more away from home. It is 

 rare for old rooks to get shot, for the reason above 

 stated ; they rise into the air out of reach. Those 

 that are killed are generally such as have lingered in 

 the hope to save a young bird, and are mistaken and 

 shot as young themselves. 



Young birds may be easily distinguished by their 

 slow, uncertain flight and general appearance of not 

 knowing exactly where to go or what to do. They 

 are specially easy to pick out if you see them about 

 to perch on a tree. They go at the tree anyhow, 

 crash in among the branches, and rather fall on a perch 

 than choose it. The old bird always enters a tree 

 carefully, as if he did not like to ruffle his feathers, 

 and knew precisely what sort of bough he preferred 

 to settle on. Close to the rookery there is no need to 

 wait to pick out the young birds, because they are all 

 sure to be young birds there ; but, as observed, old 

 birds will linger with young ones at a little distance, 

 and may then be mistaken as also on the following 

 day, when sportsmen go round to pick up the out- 

 siders, and frequently come on old and young to- 

 gether. The old bird will not sit and let you aim 

 at him perching ; if you shoot him, it must be on 

 the wing. The young bird will sit and let you pick 

 him off with a crossbow, and even if a cartridge 

 singes his wing he will sometimes only hop a yard or 

 two along the boughs. 



Though hard hit and shattered with shot, they will 

 cling to the branches convulsively, seeming to hang 



