THE HABITS OF ROOKS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR:9 SIR,—That these birds are weatberwise I am firmly convinced, and I think, after continual observation of their habits, that they do elect a leader, or leaders, to head their foraging flocks, at any rate ; also, that they have one or more sentinels stationed at various points when they are feeding, who give an alarm when a foe approaches. I was staying some years ago at a seaside place in North Wales, called Beaumaris, where there was a fine old rookery within a short distance of the town, situated near Sir Richard Bulkeley's residence, Baron Hill, and I, being a very early riser, used to watch the rooks of a morning from my bedroom window. They were wont to assemble at daybreak on the shore, and after a brief consultation, one, or sometimes two grave-looking birds, would rise on the wing and mount carefully into the air ; remain there, as if stationary, for a moment ; and then fly seaward followed by the whole company. I noticed them cross the Straits in this fashion several times, and was in- formed by my landlady that they went over the water to some famous sands on the Carnarvonshire side, where cockles and other, to use her expression, "shore refuge," abounded. They returned at night about sunset. After a time I observed that on some fine mornings the leaders, instead of going off towards the Straits, wheeled round, and followed by their suite, flew off to Baron Hill Woods. This puzzled me, until I noticed that, however fine the early part of the day had been, the evening always proved stormy or wet, so I came to the con- clusion that rooks were good weather-prophets, foresaw a change of wind, and knew how unwise it would be to go over the water on that day.
I often afterwards had an opportunity of observing the habits of the Anglese,a rooks during my stay ; for took a house on the island, still close to the shore, but some distance from the town, nearer Penmon, and there I have more than once observed rooks feeding amongst the sea- weeds left by the receding tide, rise with a shell-fish in their beak to a considerable height, then drop it on the rocks, and descend to pick the fish out of the shell they had so cleverly broken. Mussels seemed to be their particular vanity, but these seaside rooks would eat all kinds of small mollusca. Rooks inland are also slightly carnivorous. I have seen them in severe winters pick bones like magpies, which I have thrown out to them—some of the " Selborne rooks," as I call them ; for we have not a rookery very near Liss—came here to be fed. I really flattered myself that I had won the confidence of three of them ; for they came regularly every day quite closets the windows, to look for bones and pieces of bread, and without their usual guard, too. When they come in a flock, to look for wireworms amongst the young corn in an adjoining field, I always see a black gentleman or two on some tall oak-trees in the field close to this house, waiting to give the danger signal if a man armed appears. I do believe that they must know the gun is an, engine of destruction. I could relate more about rooks and jackdaws, but fear this letter is already too long to be received with favour.—I am, Sir, &c.,
Berry Grove House, Liss, Hants. HELEN E. Wairrax.
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