278 Wild Life in a Southern County. 
struggling to get over a row of trees, and stationary, 
though using his wings vigorously, suspended a little 
way above the topmost branches. Frequently he 
has to give up the attempt, turn back, and make a 
detour. 
Though rooks usually go in flocks, individuals. 
sometimes get separated, and may be seen flying 
alone on the way to rejoin their friends. A flock of 
rooks, on rising, occasionally divides into two or more 
parties. Each section wheels off on its own course, 
while sometimes a small number of those who chance 
to be near the centre of the original formation seem at 
a loss which company to follow, and settle down again 
on the field. So adozen or more become separated 
from the crowd, and presently, when they rise, they 
too divide; three or four fly one way to join one 
section, and others take another route. Individuals 
thus find themselves alone ; but that causes them no. 
uneasiness, as they have their well-known places of 
rendezvous, and have only to fly to certain fields to 
be sure of meeting their friends, or at most to wait. 
about near the nesting-trees till the rest come. 
It must not, therefore, be supposed that every one 
flying alone is a crow. Crows are scarce in compari- 
son with rooks. In severe weather a rook will some- 
times venture into the courtyard of the farmstead. 
Two rooks marked with white resided at the 
rookery here for several years. One had sufficient 
white to be distinguished at a distance ; the other 
