48 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE FARMER'S FEATHERED FRIENDS. 



FIRST on the list stands that much-abused friend, 

 the rook. Forty years ago he had a rough time of 

 it in some counties : from morning to night there 

 was little peace for rooks on any farmer's ground. 

 In the flat counties they are called crows. Very 

 few of the rising generation have ever seen a pair 

 of the old-fashioned " crow-clappers," or heard their 

 deafening din. I was very familiar with them in 

 my youth, and have often played on them. 



A " crow-clapper " was a long-handled machine 

 like a small shovel, the broad part of it about the 

 size of a schoolboy's slate. To this was looped 

 loosely a second piece of the same size. When 

 this instrument was flourished vigorously the 



