ROOKS AND THEIR RELATIVES 125 



Down flew the rooks, and for the first time for many 

 weeks they made a hearty meal. Some of them, in 

 fact, gorged to such an extent that they flew up on to 

 the drying-posts scattered over the ground, and sat 

 there without taking notice of anything or anybody. 

 The next day not a rook was to be seen near the town. 

 Hard times were over for them, and they were 

 scattered far and wide over the surrounding fields. 



In the autumn when the nuts are ripe the rook is 

 busy. Walnuts are his especial favourites. You will 

 not see a bird near the place until they are ready for 

 thrashing down ; but when that time has come a soli- 

 tary pioneer will appear first, high up, inspecting the 

 tree or trees. The next day he will be joined by one 

 or two more. After wheeling about and over the 

 place they will settle and examine the state of the 

 crop. If the outer rind is loosened from the shell of 

 the nut, a problem soon solved by the birds biting a 

 piece off, they will fly away and give information to 

 the rest that luxuries are to be had. Then a number 

 come, nipping the nuts off in the most wholesale 

 manner and flying off with them. In the first field or 

 meadow they dine ; with a dig or two of the powerful 

 bill they split off the outer covering, and then with 

 one more dig open the nut and eat the contents. 

 They are quickly back for more. 



