In Farm and Garden. 



161 



February, or, if the weather be still inclement, not 

 until the beginning of March, and at least a fortnight 

 or three weeks later than in Devonshire, the Rooks 

 begin to tidy up their big nests in the slender 

 branches at the tree-tops. Others, less fortunate, 



The Rook. 



commence to build entirely new nests. But this 

 building is by no means universal for a week or 

 more; the mania for collecting sticks and turf has 

 not yet spread through the entire colony, and num- 

 bers of birds may be seen looking on with indifference 

 at the efforts of more industrious neighbours. What 

 a noisy animated scene the old rookery is for the 

 next month, until the eggs are laid in the big 

 massive nests; then there is comparative quietness 

 until the young are hatched, when the noisy clamour 

 begins again with greater volume until nestlings 



( M 618 ) L 



