3 2 6 
STRANGE DWELLINGS. 
to Nostell Priory, which is their last resting-place for the 
night. 
6 In their morning and evening passage, the loftiness or low- 
liness of their flight seems to be regulated by the state of the 
weather. When it blows a hard gale of wind, they descend the 
valley with astonishing rapidity, and just skim over the tops of 
the intervening hills, a few feet above the trees : but when the 
sky is calm and clear, they pass through the heavens at a great 
height, in regular and easy flight.’ 
This custom of the Rooks is the more curious because it is 
hardly possible to conceive any roosting-place which would be 
more acceptable to a sensible bird than the woods within the 
confines of Walton Hall. As has already been mentioned, the 
birds will occasionally rest for a while in those pleasant woods, 
though they ultimately take wing for the accustomed roosting- 
place. There is plenty of space for them; they have their 
choice of trees on which to settle, and the lofty wall which 
surrounds them ensures their freedom from all disturbance. 
Very similar in general aspect to the rook, the Crow ( Corvus 
corone) builds a nest which resembles that of the rook in 
outward form, but is easily distinguished by an experienced 
eye. The lining of the nest is made of animal instead of 
vegetable substances, hair and wool taking the place of fibrous 
roots. 
Viewed from the foot of the tree, the nest of the Crow is 
nothing but a large and nearly shapeless bundle of sticks, but 
when the enterprising naturalist has climbed to the summit of 
the tree in which it is placed, and can look into the nest, he is 
always gratified by the peculiarly neat and smooth workmanship 
of the aerial home. The outside of the nest is rough and rugged 
enough, but the inner nest, which is made of rabbit’s fur, wool, 
and hair, is woven into a basin-like form, beautifully smooth, 
soft, and elastic. On this bed repose the eggs, which are some- 
what like those of the rook, but darker and greener, and more 
thickly spotted, though they are extremely variable in size and 
