INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER. 25 



naturalists. When the cholera broke out with 

 frightful severity at St. Petersburgh, in July, 

 1848, the crows, which are extremely abundant 

 in that city and settle familiarly in the streets, 

 forsook it, returning as soon as the virulence of 

 the disease had ceased. 



In the neighbourhood of Newcastle there was a 

 fine old ash tree which had for many years been 

 the haunt of a colony of rooks, whose nests 

 crowded the branches. In each succeeding year 

 they returned to carry on the business of nesting, 

 till suddenly their numbers diminished, and soon 

 but a few lingerers remained, seemingly loth to 

 quit the favourite spot, commencing their labours 

 for two or three seasons, but without completing 

 their task; and, finally, these also transferred 

 themselves to a new locality. The cause of this 

 desertion was revealed shortly afterwards, when 

 the tree, which, unperceived by all, had decayed 

 at the root, fell beneath the violence of a severe 

 gale. 



Closely resembling the common bullfinch is the 

 pine grosbeak, (or pine bullfinch as it is frequently 

 called) an occasional visitor in these islands, 

 which is very abundant in the north of Europe 

 and in America. A friend of M. Audubon 

 writing of this sweet songster says : " I received 

 a male in full plumage, but so emaciated that it 



