20 WILD LIFE IN THE TREE TOPS 



as Rooks can be carried out, may have already arisen in the mind of the 

 reader. 



Of course Rooks are exceedingly common birds, and birds moreover 

 that love to nest in the vicinity of human dwellings — and usually do so before 

 the leaves are out to hide them and their bulky homes. And yet it is not an 

 easy matter, even from a convenient top-floor window in the neighbourhood 

 of a Rookery, to get a really clear, unobstructed view of what is taking place 

 in the various nests. There are so many twigs and branches to obstruct any- 

 thing but an overhead view ; and one can hardly contemplate hiring an 

 observation balloon ! 



After many years of experience, the writer has come to the conclusion 

 that there is one way, and one way only, of studying intimately the habits of 

 the tree-top denizens ; and that is by building high up among the branches, 

 and at a point overlooking the selected nest, an observation post, into which 

 when the time for action arrives, the observer, possibly with his camera, may 

 retire, and whence he can observe without himself being seen. 



It need hardly be said that such an observation post, which may be con- 

 structed of sacks, old tablecloths, ' shoddy bags,' and so on — is not built in a 

 day — nor in a week. 



Rooks, as we have already noted, are very wary birds, and should such a 

 huge structure appear too suddenly in the midst of their homes, they would, 

 without doubt, leave their eggs and young, once and for all — ^with direful 

 results. 



So the bmlding of the observation post, if catastrophes are to be avoided, 

 must be very gradual, and will cover a considerable period. 



When the foundation stone of the observation post — in the shape of a 

 piece of sacking, some two feet square — is first placed in position, the Rooks 

 take some httle time in overcoming their innately suspicious natures, and 

 in assuring themselves that the piece of sacking, flapping idly in the wind, is 

 not a fresh kind of trap. But at length, encouraged no doubt by the com- 

 placency of their more distant neighbours, they ultimately take their courage — 

 as it were — ^in both feet, and hop gingerly on to the nest : as a rule, only to shoot 

 upwards and backwards, as though they have accidentally dipped their toes 

 into boiling water. 



At length, however, they settle down, and the following morning generally 

 finds them utterly careless of the flapping canvas. 



A day later another piece of sacking is added to the first ; and so 

 on, until at the end of three weeks we have quite a respectable semblance of 

 a hiding-place, for by this time the sides are tied together ; there is sufiicient 

 loose sacking hanging down to hide the feet; and the whole affair is most 

 artistically camouflaged with dead branches, sprays of elder, and handfuls of 

 grass and rushes from the dyke hard by. 



