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Birds. 



would fell her to the ground. On these occasions the crows, cowards 

 that they were, always seemed to attack her with greater vehemence 

 than they did at other times. These onslaughts, however, had gene- 

 rally the effect of bringing the hare to her senses, if 1 may so speak ; 

 for she always sprang up as they were being inflicted, and seemed to 

 redouble her efforts to get away. But it was all in vain. Another 

 blow or two, and again she would become stupified, and either squat 

 or reel about, and scream. We eventually lost sight of them, in con- 

 sequence of their coming too close to the edge of the field, the wall 

 of which hid them from our view. I was well aware, from what I had 

 many a time seen, that crows destroyed leverets, young rabbits, &c, 

 but was quite surprised to see them attacking an old one. I remem- 

 ber, whilst out on the hills at Boyndie, witnessing another, though less 

 daring, attack. Concealed amongst some trees and bushes, waiting 

 for a cuckoo which I expected to pass, I observed a half-grown rab- 

 bit emerge from some whins, and begin to frolic about close by. 

 Presently down pops a hoodie ; not a mischievous, murderous hoodie, 

 as it seemed, but friendly, courteous and humoursome. Far away he 

 went along the green sward, or rather approached the rabbit, frisking, 

 pranking and jumping about just like a Merry Andrew : no one so 

 merry as he. All of a sudden, however, as if he meant to finish the 

 joke with a ride, he mounts the back of the rabbit. Up springs the 

 latter, and away he runs ; but short was his race. A few sturdy 

 blows about the head, from the bill of the crow, laid him dead in a 

 few seconds. 



Rook {C.frugilegus) . O yes, we have rooks, plenty of rooks, despite 

 the murderous warfare carried on against them ; and I am sure a 

 more persecuted race does not exist. The time, however, will come 

 when they will be more respected and cherished, and the valuable 

 services which they render more correctly appreciated. As T have 

 already said, despite the war carried on against them, we have seve- 

 ral pretty large rookeries throughout the county. One at Forglen is 

 said to be the largest in the district, and to have been one from time 

 immemorial. As many as from twenty to twenty-six nests I believe 

 have been counted here on a single tree at one time ; and I am 

 informed that the noise made during the breeding-season is so tre- 

 mendous that it is often heard, on still evenings or quiet mornings, 

 miles away. We have a small rookery here, amongst a few trees in 

 the grounds belonging to Banff Castle, situated in the centre of the 

 town, the occupiers of which seem to be in nowise incommoded by 

 the traffic going on in the streets beneath them. Pied varieties of the 



