Courage of Old Rooks. 267 
are observed perching on the tree or fluttering from 
branch to branch, they must not be left much longer 
before shooting, or they will wander and be lost. A 
very few days will then make all the difference ; and 
so it has often happened that men expecting to make 
a great bag have been quite disappointed, notwith- 
standing the evident number of nests ; the shooting 
has been held a day or so too late. The young birds 
get the use of their wings very quickly, and their 
instinct rather seems to be to wander than to remain 
in the immediate vicinity of their birthplace. 
‘Some think that the old birds endeavour to entice 
them away as much as possible, knowing what is 
coming. It may be doubted if that is the case with 
respect to the very young birds; but when the young 
ones are capable of something like extended flight, 
and can cross a field without much difficulty, I 
think the parents do attempt to lead them away. 
When the shooting is in progress, if you will go a little 
distance from the rookery, out of the excitement of 
the sport, you may sometimes see two old rooks, one 
on each side of a young one, cawing to it with all 
their might. The young bird is, perhaps, on the 
ground, or on a low hedge, and the old birds are evi- 
dently endeavouring to get it to move. Yet they 
have not learned the only way in which that can be 
done—z.¢, by starting themselves and flying a short 
distance, and waiting, when the young bird will almost 
invariably follow. 
