Sailing through the Air 225 



ease. Occasionally two or three rooks may be seen doing 

 this at once, while the rest whirl about as if possessed ; 

 and those that are diving utter a gurgling sound like the 

 usual cawk prolonged — ' caw-wouk.' These antics are be- 

 lieved to foretell rough winds. 



The rook, like other broad-winged birds, often makes 

 much leeway in flying, though there be only a moderate 

 wind. The beak points in one direction, in which the 

 bird is apparently proceeding, but if observed closely it 

 will be found that the real course is somewhat sideways. 

 He is making leeway. So it is that a rook which looks as 

 if coming straight towards you — as if he must inevitably 

 go overhead — passes some distance to one side. He ap- 

 pears slow on the wing, as if to go fast required more 

 energy than he possessed, yet he travels over great dis- 

 tances without the least apparent exertion. 



When going with the wind he sails high in the air, 

 only flapping his wings sufficiently to maintain balance 

 and steering power. But when working against the wind, 

 if it is a strong gale, his wings are used rapidly, and he 

 comes down near the surface of the ground. He then flies 

 just above the grass, only high enough to escape touching 

 it, and follows the contour of the field. At the hedges he 

 has to rise, and immediately meets the full force of the 

 breeze. It is so powerful sometimes that he cannot over- 

 come it, and his efforts simply lift him in the air, like a 

 kite drawn against the wind. For a few moments he 

 appears stationary, his own impetus and the contending 

 wind balancing each other, and holding him suspended. 

 Then he rises again, but still finding the current too 

 strong, tacks like a ship to port or starboard, and so works 

 aslant into the gale. Shortly afterwards he comes down 

 again, if the field be a large one, and glides forward in 



Q 



