144 OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 



ceived by many of them. Frequently, where the 

 rookery is extensive, and the trees straggling from 

 one another, the alarm is quickly propagated from 

 party to party down a long avenue, and in less than 

 two minutes the whole is in an uproar. This 

 is most noticeable in February, when the rooks are 

 much on the trees during the day, as just above 

 observed, but the building season not actually com- 

 menced. 



Rooks that are much shot at, like those at Bot- 

 tisham, have the greatest possible dread of a gun. 

 Often, when walking in the neighbourhood of the 

 trees, I observe they suffer me to approach within a 

 certain distance without taking fright, though they 

 watch my movements narrowly; or are not much 

 disturbed, as long as I continue walking on : but the 

 moment I stop, and put even a walking-stick to my 

 shoulder, as if about to fire at them, they are off 

 directly ; and the distance at which this will operate, 

 often considerably more than a hundred yards, is 

 quite surprising.* It is also observable, that when 

 they would be frightened by any one walking or 

 stopping near the trees, they will often suffer a cart 

 or a carriage to pass immediately beneath them, 



* I am induced particularly to mention this circumstance, be- 

 cause it has been sometimes stated that they can distinguish a gun 

 from a stick : and that a person with only this last, may feign as 

 if about to fire at then/, without putting them to flight. See De 

 Selys-Longchamps, Faune Beige, p. 69. Perhaps the habits of 

 individuals may differ in different localities. 



