115 A HISTORY OF 



wester* coasts of England. These are birds very similar in their 

 manners, feeding on grain and insects, living in society, and often 

 suffering general castigation from the flock for the good of the com- 

 munity. 



The rook, as is well known, builds in woods and forests in the 

 neighbourhood of man, and sometimes makes choice of groves in the 

 very midst of cities for the place of its retreat and security. In these 

 it establishes a kind of legal constitution, by which all intruders are 

 excluded from coming to live among them, and none suffered to build 

 but acknowledged natives of the place. I have often amused myself 

 with observing their plan of policy from my window in the Temple, 

 that looks upon a grove where they have made a colony in the midst 

 of the city. At the commencement of spring, the rookery, which, 

 during the continuance of winter, seemed to have been deserted, or 

 only guarded by about five or six, like old soldiers in a garrison, now 

 begins to be once more frequented, and in a short time all the bustle 

 of business is fairly commenced. Where these numbers resided du- 

 ring the winter is not easy to guess ; perhaps in the trees of hedge- 

 rows, to be nearer their food. In spring, however, they cultivate their 

 native trees ; and* in the places where they were themselves hatched, 

 they prepare to propagate a future progeny. 



They keep together in pairs ; and when the offices of courtship are 

 over, they prepare for making their nests and laying. The old inhabit- 

 ants of the place are all already provided ; the nest which served 

 them for years before, with a little trimming and dressing, will serve 

 very well again ; the difficulty of nestling lies only upon the young 

 ones who have no nest, and must therefore get up one as well as they 

 can. But not only the materials are wanting, but also the place in 

 which to fix it. Every part of a tree will not do for this purpose, as 

 some branches may not be sufficiently forked ; others may not be suf- 

 ficiently strong ; and still others may be too much exposed to the rock- 

 ings of the wind. The male and female upon this occasion are, for 

 some days, seen examining all the trees of the grove very attentively ; 

 and when they have fixed upon a branch that seems fit for their pur- 

 pose, they continue to sit upon, and observe it very sedulously for two 

 or three days longer. The place being thus determined upon, they 

 begin to gather the materials for their nest ; such as sticks and fibrous 

 roots, which they regularly dispose in the most substantial manner. 

 But here a new and unexpected obstacle arises. It often happens that 

 the young couple have made choice of a place too near the mansion 

 of an older pair, who do not choose to be incommoded by such trouble- 

 some neighbours. A quarrel therefore instantly ensues, in which the 

 old ones are always victorious. 



The young couple, thus expelled, are obliged again to go through 

 the fatigues of deliberating, examining, and choosing : and having ta- 

 ken care to keep their due distance, the nest begins again, and their 

 industry deserves commendation. But their alacrity is often too great 

 in the beginning; they soon grow weary of bringing the materials of 

 their nest from distant places, and they very easily perceive that sticks 

 may be provided nearer home, with less honesty, indeed, but some 

 degree of address Away they go, therefore, to pilfer, as fast as they 

 can ; and wherever they see a nest unguarded, they take care to rob 



