326 STRANGE DWELLINGS. 



to Nostell Priory, which is their last resting-place for the 

 night. 



' In their morning and evening passage, the loftiness or low- 

 liness of their flight seems to be regulated by the state of the 

 weather. When it blows a hard gale of wind, they descend the 

 valley with astonishing rapidity, and just skim over the tops of 

 the intervening hills, a few feet above the trees : but when the 

 sky is calm and clear, they pass through the heavens at a great 

 height, in regular and easy flight.' 



This custom of the Rooks is the more curious because it is 

 hardly possible to conceive any roosting-place which would be 

 more acceptable to a sensible bird than the woods within the 

 confines of Walton Hall. As has already been mentioned, the 

 birds will occasionally rest for a while in those pleasant woods, 

 though they ultimately take wing for the accustomed roosting- 

 place. There is plenty of space for them; they have their 

 choice of trees on which to settle, and the lofty wall which 

 surrounds them ensures their freedom from all disturbance. 



Very similar in general aspect to the rook, the Q.'SJ^^ {Corvus 

 coro7ie) builds a nest which resembles that of the rook in 

 outward form, but is easily distinguished by an experienced 

 eye. The lining of the nest is made of animal instead of 

 vegetable substances, hair and wool taking the place of fibrous 

 roots. 



Viewed from the foot of the tree, the nest of the Crow is 

 nothing but a large and nearly shapeless bundle of sticks, but 

 when the enterprising naturalist has climbed to the summit of 

 the tree in which it is placed, and can look into the nest, he is 

 always gratified by the peculiarly neat and smooth workmanship 

 of the aerial home. The outside of the nest is rough and rugged 

 enough, but the inner nest, which is made of rabbit's fur, wool, 

 and hair, is woven into a basin-like form, beautifully smooth, 

 soft, and elastic. On this bed repose the eggs, which are some- 

 what like those of the rook, but darker and greener, and more 

 thickly spotted, though they are extremely variable in size and 



