130 IN BIRD- LAND 



I delight to watch the movements of a colony of 

 Rooks, either while they are feeding in a field, or 

 while they are engaged in the more arduous duties 

 of incubation ; during the latter process is perhaps 

 the best time to take notice of them. In the early 

 part of the year, about the end of February or 

 beginning of March, they may be seen returning 

 to the vicinity of their former nests, and it is then 

 that their spring councils seem to be held. Sitting 

 on a tree near their old haunts in small parties of 

 eight or ten, what appear to be long conversations 

 are held, one or two occasionally flying over to the 

 old nests to take note of their condition. After 

 a few meetings of this kind have come off, the 

 assembly will set to work to repair their old nests, 

 when those birds that are first to begin work will 

 unceremoniously proceed to demolish property 

 belonging to absent comrades, so that in a very 

 short time certain nests will entirely disappear. 

 In a few days the entire rookery is full of life ; 

 all are busy, and some of the more forward nests 

 already contain eggs. While the hen sits, her 

 partner brings food, and with sundry apparent 

 scoldings from the hen, for the supply being so 

 long in coming, she receives the contents of her 

 mate's beak, the cock then flying away to fetch 

 further supplies. The evening is the best time to 



