76 BIRDS IN LONDON 



be saying : ' I have often admired this beautiful 

 ring, but never had an opportunity of examining 

 it properly before ; now, after having had it for 

 some time in my possession and shown it to 

 several wild rooks of my acquaintance, I have 

 much satisfaction in restoring it to its owner, 

 who is my very good friend.' 



During his summer visits to London this 

 rook met with many curious and amusing 

 adventures, as he had the habit of flying in at 

 the open windows of houses in the neighbour- 

 hood of Park Lane, and making himself very 

 much at home. He also flew about Hyde Park 

 and Kensington Gardens every day to visit his 

 fellow-rooks. One day his mistress was walking 

 in the Row, at an hour when it was full of 

 fashionable people, and the rook, winging his 

 way homewards from the gardens, spied her, 

 and circling down alighted on her shoulders, to 

 the amazement of all who witnessed the incident. 

 ' What an astonishing thing ! ' exclaimed some 

 person in the crowd that gathered round her. 

 ' Oh, not at all,' answered the lady, caressing 

 the bird with her hand, while he rubbed his 

 beak against her cheek ; ' if you were as fond of 

 the birds as I am, and treated them as well, 



