THE ROOK. 129- 



time they have usually no great difficulty in 

 procuring worms and larvae which the plough 

 turns up, and which they "pouch" in the bag 

 at the base of their bill, and carry to their 

 young. They appear to trust the ploughman, 

 for they follow close behind him with a "caw, 

 caw," joined in the feast by Jackdaws and Sea- 

 Maws black-headed Gulls (Larus Ridibundus). 

 The Rook brings forth one brood in the year. 

 After the young are able to fly they leave the 

 rookery, the old ones continuing to feed them 

 for some time afterwards ; then all join in one 

 flock, roosting at night on tall trees some distance 

 from where the young were hatched. Here they 

 make their winter quarters. In the autumn 

 evenings thousands of Rooks and Jackdaws, 



" Rustling on the wing, 

 From their wide plumes thick darkness fling," 



may be seen gathered together in a huge, strag- 

 gling flock, and so numerous are they that in 

 passing overhead a good half hour may be 

 exhausted before the last pass a continuous- 



