FEBRUARY 37 



They must beat out their little lives in the back slums 

 of Bermondsey or Whitechapel, or linger till the ad- 

 vancing heat puts an end to their sufferings. For 

 even Bechstein, most skilful of birdkeepers, found it 

 impossible to keep the snow-bunting alive in captivity 

 for more than a few weeks, so impatient it is of a close 

 or warm atmosphere. 



There are many doleful chapters such as this in the 

 annals of the bird trade 



XVII 



The presence of rooks in this treeless land suggests 

 speculation, not only as to where they can build their 

 nests, but where they can find sticks to Ravening 

 fashion them withal. It is roundly affirmed Rooks 

 that they do so in whin bushes ; and it was not till 

 I had sojourned some days in the district that I became 

 aware of sundry groves of stunted, wind-warped ash- 

 trees round the houses of Dale, Gerston, and Brawl. 

 Gramercy ! what a jolly time these rooks have ! No 

 one ever molests them, yet the havoc they work in the 

 stackyards must be seen before it is believed. The 

 slender ricks, locally called ' screws,' ridiculous things 

 shaped like pepper-castors, are riddled to honeycomb 

 torn to utter dishevelment by these swarthy marauders. 

 Rock pigeons and starlings attend to profit by the 

 ruin ; the loss consists, not only in what is eaten, but 

 in the damage of rain and thawing snow pouring 

 into the stacks. Nobody seems to notice this except 

 strangers such as myself, and threshing proceeds in 



