52 BIRD LIFE GLIMPSES 



beneath for any offal that may be lying there. This 

 is not so much the habit of rooks, for they, 

 being more general feeders, march over the country, 

 eating whatever they can find. They would be 

 neglecting too much, were they to look for any class 

 of thing in particular, though equally appreciative of 

 offal when it happens to come in their way. "The 

 Lord be praised ! " is then their attitude of mind. 



The crows, however, feed a good deal in this 

 latter way, too, and, as a consequence, mingle much 

 with the rooks, from whom, perhaps, they have 

 learnt a thing or two. Each bird, in fact, knows 

 and practises something of the other's business, so 

 that, without specially seeking one another's society, 

 they are a good deal thrown together. Were there 

 never any occasion for them to mingle, they would 

 probably not feel the wish to do so, but the slightest 

 inducement will bring crows amongst rooks, and 

 rooks amongst crows, and then, in their actions 

 towards each other, they seem to be but one species. 

 They fight, of course ; at least there are frequent 

 disagreements and bickerings between them, but 

 these have always appeared to me to be individual, 

 merely not to have any specific value, so to speak. 

 Both of them fall out, amongst themselves, as do 

 most other birds. Rooks, especially, are apt to 

 resent one another's success in the finding of food, 

 but such quarrels soon settle themselves, usually 

 by the bird in possession swallowing the morsel ; 

 they are seldom prolonged or envenomed. So it is 

 with the rooks and hooded crows, and, on the whole, 

 I think they meet as equals, though there may, per- 

 haps, be a slightly more " coming-on disposition " on 



