116 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



The rooks abandoned their purpose and retreated 

 to a rookery at some distance, where they settled 

 and built. On examination, it was discovered 

 that a couple of carrion crows had seized upon 

 the rooks' domains, and thus summarily expelled 

 them. At first the poor birds showed great reluc- 

 tance to quit their loved homes, and when, once 

 or twice, the crows disappeared for a short time, 

 they ventured to return to their half-finished 

 nests, from which, however, they were sure to be 

 driven away by the return of their enemies ; nor 

 was it till after some time and many eiforts that 

 they finally yielded. Eventually the crows were 

 shot, and within a very few days after the death of 

 the last of them, a few pairs of rooks returned, and 

 recommenced building their nests ; but, where 

 there were formerly fifty or sixty nests, only five 

 or six are now to be seen; and probably some 

 time may pass before they will gain sufficient con- 

 fidence to return in full force. 



There is one question about which much differ- 

 ence of opinion has existed. Are rooks useful or 

 injurious to the husbandman? Doubtless they 

 are guilty of some pilfering. The great damage 

 done by them is to newly-sown barley, which 

 they dig up to feed their young with, as well as 

 themselves; and when hard-pressed by hunger 

 they will pillage the soft young potatoes and 



