THE ROOK, 217 



from tree to tree ; and when their pinions will sustain 

 them in the liquid void, they follow their parents to the 

 pastures, and are there fed and tended, returning at 

 nightfall to the nesting-trees. Time passes, and they 

 become still stronger on the wing, and often soar to an 

 immense height over the nesting-trees, as it were enjoy- 

 ing to the utmost their newly acquired powers of motion. 

 The young Rooks are nothing near so wary as their 

 parents, and I once witnessed a pleasing sight in connec- 

 tion with this matter. The Rooks were perched in 

 immense numbers in the trees, and of course most of 

 them took wing at my approach. One young bird, 

 however, was almost in reach of my hand, sitting motion- 

 less and unconcerned, when a mature bird flew swiftly 

 past it, as if to warn it of its danger, and almost knock- 

 ing it off its perch, when it flew away with the rest. 



From what I have observed, by the summer solstice 

 the Rooks of the smaller rookeries quit the neighbour- 

 hood of their nests, and join the members of the larger 

 communities, and feed with them, fly with them, and at 

 night repose in the trees which contain the nests of 

 their hosts. But probably in every rookery in Britain, 

 whether large or small, the Rooks, from the beginning 

 of September till the following breeding season, visit 

 their nests daily or nearly so. 



* Night brings home Crows,' says the old proverb : it 

 also brings home Rooks, and it is a stirring sight to see 

 the denizens of a large rookery settle down to rest. All 

 day they frequent the grass lands, turnip fields, or potato 

 patches, either seeking their sustenance, bathing them- 

 selves in the little pools, or basking in the sun's genial 

 rays on the tree tops. But as the sun draws near the 

 western horizon instinct prompts the Rooks to seek 

 their roosting place. With a slow and regular beat of 



