24 WILD LIFE IN THE TREE TOPS 



process of transferring food from pouch to beak has once more been accom- 

 pUshed. 



Having delivered her gifts, the Rook seems incUned to brood her young, 

 and tries unsuccessfully to do so. They are really too large, however, and so 

 she has to content herself by lying on the nest beside them — quite content, it 

 would seem, to have them close by. 



Some twenty minutes later the male Rook — if one can determine the 

 sex of a Rook by the brilliance of the plumage — ^flutters into the branches 

 and on to the side of the nest. Judging by the actions of the female one would 

 think that she was suffering from the final pangs of starvation. 



With quivering wings and uplifted open beak she cowers before her mate, 

 begging him, it would seem, to give her food. 



Quite unconcernedly the male transfers a little food into his beak, and 

 presses it affectionately down her throat ; then, ignoring her further entreaties, 

 he turns his attention to the young ones, who although they were fed but 

 twenty minutes before, seem as hungry as ever. Having fulfilled his mission 

 he once more turns seawards and sails out over the marshes. 



Hardly has he gone than the sitting Rook on the right vociferously wel- 

 comes her husband, and standing on her nest with wings aflutter, she too 

 receives a donation of food. 



As the day wears on, the two young Rooks on the left become increas- 

 ingly restless. First one and then the other indulges in a bout of wing-flapping, 

 at the same time jumping into the air as though to test the weight-carrying 

 capacity of his wings. At any moment they may risk a trial flight to one of 

 the adjacent branches ; an idea in which their parents seem to be encouraging 

 them, for when they return with food, they hesitate for some time before 

 coming to the nest, as though luring the young ones into the branches. 



And at last one of the young Rooks flutters into a branch a few feet from 

 the nest ; where, at his next visit, the parent liberally feeds him. 



Then another step is essayed, and by short stages he soon reaches the tip- 

 top twig of the home tree. 



It is from just such a point of vantage as this that the first trial flights are , 

 made. The young Rooks love to climb upwards, and when they reach the 

 highest point, they usually attempt a flight to — for instance — ^the top of the 

 adjoining tree. 



Should a young rook on such a trip be carried out of its course by a too 

 boisterous wind, one or other of its parents will generally be close at hand 

 to fly to its side, and with caws of encouragement to cheer it in its 

 trouble. 



So now there is only one young Rook remaining in the left-hand nest ; 

 although it is only a question of minutes before he too takes the fateful plunge. 

 And at last he takes it, only unfortunately he seems to lose his head in the 



