232 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



wintering starlings consorting with them, clustering 

 about their noses, just as they do in the pasture 

 lands in summer time. But I found it best to feed 

 the birds when the cows were not there, on account 

 of the behaviour of one of them, a young animal who 

 had not yet been sobered by having a calf of her 

 own. She was a frivolous young thing and when tired 

 of feeding, she would start teasing the old cows, 

 pushing them with her horns, then flinging up her 

 hind legs to challenge them to a romp* The sight 

 of a crowd of birds under my window would bring 

 her at a gallop to the spot to find out what all the 

 fuss was about, and the birds would be driven off. 

 One morning I was at my window when the 

 field was empty of bird and beast life with the 

 exception of a solitary old rook, a big bird who 

 was a constant attendant and so much bigger than 

 most of the rooks that I had come to know it well. 

 By and by the young cow walked into the field by 

 herself, and, after gazing all round as if surprised 

 at finding the place so lifeless, she caught sight of 

 and fixed her eyes on the old rook working at the 

 turf some fifty or sixty yards away. Presently she 

 began walking towards it, and when within about 

 twenty yards put her head down and charged it. 

 The rook paid no attention until she was almost on 

 it, then rose up, emitting its angriest, most raucous 

 screams while hovering just over her head, and having 



