54 THE ROOK 



not a duel over a ''squaw" : the rook is a philosopher, 

 and the ritual of love-making and matrimony are of the 

 simplest. The bother will be over divergent interests 

 or a disputed claim, for there is a recognised right of 

 property not ground-rent to pay, but a specified limit 

 for nest-room has been accorded. The trouble occurs 

 mostly with young birds wishing to place their nests too 

 near to an old nest. A parish council is called, with 

 the result that the disputants' nests are soon scattered to 

 the winds, and the claimant and the defendant may both 

 have to begin a new foundation. Sometimes there is a 

 disturbance on a more limited scale : one between very 

 near neighbours or blood-relations a family jar, in fact. 

 One pair of birds do their very best to pull the sticks 

 from the nest of another pair : each of the contending 

 parties will do all they can to prevent the other from 

 building. 



As to the nests, we all know how busily the rooks set 

 to work to repair these after a gale of wind has wrought 

 some havoc in their colonies ; but I do not think it is 

 equally well known that they are curiously weather-wise, 

 and they scent the coming storm and set to work to repair 

 and strengthen before the imminent gale has been 

 evident to the farmer. I have noticed that fact ; the 

 Rook's powers of sight and hearing are remarkable. 



At the end of the breeding-season comes the farmers' 

 rook-shooting, which I, for one, never take part in : I 

 have too much regard for the labours of both the adult 

 and the young birds. About the roots of each of the 

 turnip-plants there may gather scores of wireworms, 

 which eat the turnips ; in the crops of young birds which 

 have been shot are found myriads of these wireworms, 

 or it may be that they are filled with grubs of various 



