EXPULSION OF THE BOOKS 71 



person in authority among them. It was thought 

 that the trees would have a better appearance 

 if. a number of their large horizontal branches 

 were lopped off, and the work was carried out 

 in the month of March, just when the rooks 

 were busy repairing their old and building new 

 nests. The birds were seized with panic, and 

 went away in a body to be seen no more for 

 the space of three years ; then they returned to 

 settle once more, and at present they are re- 

 garded with so much pride and affection by the 

 Benchers, and have so much food cast to them 

 out of scores of windows, that they have grown 

 to be the most domestic and stay-at-home rooks 

 to be found anywhere in England. 



With the exception of this one small colony, 

 it is sad to have to say that utter, irretrievable 

 disaster has fallen on the inner London rookeries 

 — those that still exist in the suburbs will be 

 mentioned in subsequent chapters — and although 

 rooks may still be found within our gates, go 

 they wUl and go they must, never to return. 

 The few birds that continue in constantly 

 diminishing numbers to breed here and there 

 in the metropolis, in spite of its gloomy atmo- 

 sphere and the long distances they are obliged 



