THE COMMON ROOK. 
129 
culty to support its life, for in a dry spring or summer 
most of these are hidden in the earth beyond its reach, 
except at those uncertain periods when the grub of the 
chaffer is to be found ; and in a hot day we see the 
poor birds perambulating the fields, and wandering by 
the sides of the highways, seeking for, and feeding 
upon grasshoppers, or any casual nourishment that may 
be found. At those times, was it not for its breakfast 
of dew-worms, which it catches in the gray of the morn- 
ing, as it is appointed the earliest of risers, it would 
commonly be famished. In the hot summer of 1825, 
many of the young brood of the season perished from 
want; the mornings were without dew, and conse- 
quently few or no worms were to be obtained ; and we 
found them dead under the trees, having expired on 
their roostings. It was particularly distressing, for no 
relief could be given, to hear the constant clamor and 
importunity of the young for food. The old birds 
seemed to suffer without complaint; but the wants of 
their offspring were expressed by the unceasing cry of 
hunger, and pursuit of the parents for supply, and our 
fields were scenes of daily restlessness and lament. 
Yet, amid all this distress, it was pleasing to observe 
the perseverance of the old birds in the endeavor to re- 
lieve their famishing families, as many of them remain- 
ed out searching for food quite in the dusk, and return- 
ed to their roosts long after the usual period for retiring. 
In this extremity it becomes a plunderer, to which by 
inclination it is not much addicted, and resorts to our 
newly-set potato-fields, digging out the cuttings. Ranks 
are seen sadly defective, the result of its labors, I fear ; 
and the request of my neighbors now and then for a 
bird from my rookery, to hang up in terrorem in their 
fields, is confirmatory of its bad name. In autumn a 
ripe pear, or a walnut, becomes an irresistible tempta- 
tion, and it will occasionally obtain a good share of 
these fruits. In hard frost, it is pinched again, visits 
for food the banks of streams, and in conjunction with 
its congener the “ villain crow,” becomes a wayfaring 
bird, and seeks a dole from every passing steed. Its 
life, however, is not always dark and sombre : it has its 
