246 A Rook inaklng Leeway. 



dashed to pieces against a tree or tlie eartli ; but he 

 rights himself at the last moment, and glides away 

 and up again with ease. Occasionally two or three 

 rooks may be seen doing this at once, while the rest 

 whirl about as if possessed ; and those that are di\'ing 

 utter a gurgling sound like the usual eawk prolonged 

 — ' caw-wouk.' These antics are believed to foretell 

 rough winds. 



The rook, like other broad-winged birds, often 

 makes much leeway in flying, though there be only 

 a moderate wind. The beak points in one direction, 

 in which the bird is apparently proceeding, but if 

 observed closely it will be fouud that the real course 

 is somewhat sidewa3's. He is making leeway. So 

 it is that a rook which looks as if coming straight 

 towards you — as if he must inevitably go overhead 

 — passes some distance to one side. He appears 

 slow on the wing, as if to go fast required more 

 energy than he possessed, yet he travels over gi-eat 

 distances without the least apparent exertion. 



When going with the wind he sails high in the 

 air, only flapping his wings sufficiently to maintain 

 balance and steering power. But when working 

 against the wind, if it is a strong gale, his wings are 

 used rapidly, and he comes down near the surface of 

 the ground. He then flies just above the grass, only 

 high enough to escape touching it, and follows the 

 contour of the field. At the hedges he has to rise, 

 and immediately meets the full force of the breeze. 

 It is so powerful sometimes that he cannot overcome 

 it, and his efforts simply lift him in the air, like a 

 kite drawn against the wind. For a few moments 

 he appears stationary, his own impetus and the con- 



