202 ROOKS. 



in a clump of trees, and proceeded to build ; there they have 

 continued ever since, the number of nests increasing as fol- 

 lows. In 1828, there were seven nests ; in 1829, nine ; in 

 1830, thirteen ; in 1831, twenty-four ; in 1832, thirty-three ; 

 in 1833, upwards of fifty ; and in this latter year, there was a 

 proportionate increase, with colonies settling in adjacent trees. 

 Another instance of unaccountable removal from an accustomed 

 place of resort, occurred within the last few years, in a com- 

 paratively small rookery in the Palace Garden, in the city of 

 Norwich. For several years the birds had confined their 

 nests to a few trees immediately in front of the house, when 

 one season, without any assignable cause, they took up a new 

 position on some trees, also in the garden, but about two hun- 

 dred yards distant, where they remained till the Spring of 

 1847, when, before their nests were completed, or young 

 hatched, they disappeared altogether, and the heretofore fre- 

 quented trees are only now and then resorted to by a few stray 

 casual visitors. 



It has been said, that Rooks usually prefer elm-trees for 

 building, and it was observed, that in a mingled grove of 

 horse-chesnuts and elms, at Hawley, in Kent, not a single 

 nest was ever built in the horse-chesnut-trees, though the 

 elms were full of them. In the above instance, however, 

 they certainly gave the oak a preference, leaving an elm- 

 tree close at hand untenanted. These birds, like the rest 

 of their species, return at a particular time in Autumn ; 

 and for a few days seem to be very busy about their 

 nests, as if preparing them for immediate use ; and then 

 desert them for the Winter : no reason has been discovered 

 for this singular habit, peculiar, it is believed, to Rooks. May 

 it not probably arise from an instinctive feeling, that as the 

 nests will be wanted early in the Spring, a few repairs may 

 be requisite to strengthen and prevent their being shattered 

 or blown to pieces by the storms of Winter ; and that, 

 according to the homely proverb of " the stitch in time saving 

 nine," they may thus be saving themselves a greater degree 

 of labour than they could easily bestow, when the trees are 

 again to be occupied ? Most other birds are under no ne- 



