76 INTRODUCTION. 



Commons, a curious anecdote concerning which has been 

 recorded.* 



The Stork, and some other of the tribe of waders, are oc- 

 casionally also inhabitants of some of the continental towns. 



Rooks appear to be peculiarly partial to building their 

 nests in the vicinity of the residence of man. Of the nume- 

 rous rookeries of which I have any recollection, most of 

 thera were a short distance from dwelling houses. At the 

 present time, (March, 1827,) there is a rookery on some 

 trees, neither very lofty nor very elegant, in the garden of 

 the Royal Naval Asylum, at Greenwich ; and although 

 many very fine and lofty elms are in the park near, which 

 one might naturally suppose the rooks would prefer, yet, 

 such is the fact, there is not even one Rook's nest in 

 Greenwich Park. Possibly the company of so large a 

 number of boys, and the noise which they make, determine 

 these birds in the choice of such a place for their procreating 

 domicile. 



There is also a remarkable fact related by Mr. French, 

 on the authority of Dr. Spurgin, in the second volume of 

 the Zoological Journal, which merits attention, in regard to 

 the Rook. 



A gentleman occupied a farm in Essex, where he had 

 not long resided before numerous Rooks built their nest on 

 the trees surrounding his premises ; the rookery was much 

 prized : the farmer, however, being induced to hire a larger 

 farm about three quarters of a mile distant, he left the farm 

 and the rookery ; but, to his surprise and pleasure, the 

 whole rookery deserted their former habitation and came to 

 the new one of their old master, where they continue to 

 flourish. It ought to be added, that this gentleman was 



* See Hone's Every Day Book, vol. I. page 494. 



