WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 277 



his headlong descent wavering to and fro like a sheet 

 of paper falling edge first. He falls at a great pace, 

 and looks as if he must be dashed to pieces against a 

 tree or the earth ; but he rights himself at the last 

 moment, and glides away and up again with ease. 

 Occasionally two or three rooks may be seen doing 

 this at once, while the rest whirl about as if possessed ; 

 and those that are diving utter a gurgling sound like 

 the usual cawk prolonged " caw-wouk." These an- 

 tics are believed to foretell rough winds. 



The rook, like other broad-winged birds, often makes 

 much leeway in flying, though there be only a mod- 

 erate wind. The beak points in one direction, in 

 which the bird is apparently proceeding, but if ob- 

 served closely it will be found that the real course is 

 somewhat sideways. He is making leeway. So it is 

 that a rook which looks as if coming straight towards 

 yoi^ as if he must inevitably go overhead passes 

 son. i distance to one side. He appears slow on the 

 wing, as if to go -fast required more energy than he 

 possessed, yet he travels over great distances without 

 the least apparent exertion. 



When going with the wind he sails high in the air, 

 only flapping his wings sufficiently to maintain bal- 

 ance and steering power. But when working against 

 the wind, if it is a strong gale, his wings are used 

 rapidly, and he comes down near the surface of the 

 ground. He then flies just above the grass, only high 

 enough to escape touching it, and follows the con- 

 tour of the field. At the hedges he has to rise, and 



