ANOTHER TAME ROOK.
(To THE EDITOR or TEE " SPECTATOR."3 Ssa,—I had a tame rook many years ago. I picked him up under the rookery and brought him up by hand. At first he was housed in a cage, but his wings were never clipped, and as soon as Ile could fly he took to roosting in a silver birch in the garden. He was called Jack, and would always come or answer when called. There was a rookery near, and the birds would fly round and round over the garden calling to him. He would cock his head aside and look up at them, but never showed any disposition to join them. I was farming at the time, and Jack used to accompany me round. He would follow the beers and haymakers at their work, watching for whet might be under the swathe as it was turned over. He would carne to the town—a mile and a half away—with me too, flying, home when the outskirts were reached. He was a great team. Nothing pleased him mare than to stalk one of the dogs when asleep on the lawn. Jack would give him R vicious dig with his beak, but was much too quick to be caught. He then flew to the lawn gate, where he knew he was safe, and from the top of which he would look down upon the dogs with hie head aside and a most whimsical expression on his face, chattering all the time. My mother was fond of gardening, and used to plant out most of her seedlings. Jack would perch on her shoulders and watch her; then when the work wns done he would pull them all up. The bird was so fascinating that this was tolerated, but he took to going into the house and pulling the paper off the walls, and so—much to my sorrow—it was decided that Jack must go. He was given to a relative a few miles away. who shut bins up in a stable for a few days, but after his release he was never seen again. I fancy he joined his fellows, for once or twice I thought I detected his note; but if so, he would never rola, to me. He was an intelligent, mischievous, amusing pet.—I am,
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