THE PIE KIND. 185 



ther 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 har> 

 pens 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 

 troublesome neighbours. A quarrel therefore in- 

 stantly 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 taken 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 it of the very 

 choicest sticks of which it is composed. But 

 these thefts never go unpunished ; and probably 

 upon complaint being made, there is a general 

 punishment inflicted. I have seen eight or ten 

 rooks come upon such occasions, and setting upon 

 the new nest of the young couple all at once, tear 

 it in pieces in a moment. 



At length, therefore, the young pair find the 

 necessity of going more regularly and honestly to 

 work. While one flies to fetch the materials, the 



