220 A DESCRIPTION OF 
amusement. Hence it has been seldom attempted to de- 
stroy a rookery ; although the noise and other inconveni- 
ences that accompany these birds render their vicinity 
often troublesome. They feed entirely on corn and insects, 
and are little bigger than the common crows. In Suffolk 
and in some parts of Norfolk, the farmers find it their in- 
terest to encourage the breed of Rooks, as the only means 
of freeing their grounds from the grub which produces the 
cockchafer, and which in this state destroys the roots of 
corn and grass to such a degree, that instances have been 
known where the turf of pasture land might be turned up 
with the foot. The farmers in a northern country, a 
good many years ago, waged a war of extermination 
against the Rooks, but the very next year the crops were 
so completely cut up by grubs, that the same proprietors 
were at considerable expense in getting Rooks back again. 
Young Rooks are good eating, but they should be skinned 
before they are dressed. The colour is black, but brighter 
than that of the crow, which the Rook resembles in 
shape. The female lays the same number of eggs ; and 
the male shares with her the trouble of fetching sticks, 
and interweaving them to make the nest, an operation 
which is attended with a great deal of fighting and dis- 
puting with the other Rooks. 
New comers are often severely beaten by the old inha- 
bitants, and are even frequently driven quite away ; of 
this an instance occurred near Newcastle, in the year 
1783. A pair of Rooks, after an unsuccessful attempt to 
establish themselves in a rookery at no great distance 
from the Exchange, were compelled to abandon the at- 
tempt, and take refuge on the spire of that building ; 
and, though constantly interrupted by other Rooks, they 
built their nest on the top of the vane, and reared their 
young ones, undisturbed by the noise of the populace 
below. The nest and its inhabitants were of course 
turned about by every change of the wind ! They re- 
