A ROOK-STORY.
[To THE EDITOR OF TEE "SPECTATOR...1 Slat—As I had the privilege a. short time ago of listening to some remarkable rooks' language, which could be understood without the special education of a Mowgli, I send you a short account of it on the chance of your thinking it worth record- ing. I was walking in my garden when my attention was caught by a dark cloud of birds flying close to the ground. I then saw that a number of rooks were flying after a large grey ow], and that the leaders were almost touching it. Th! owl made straight for a yew-tree, and as soon as it reached the tree it dived tinder one of the branches and disappeared in the dark foliage. Not one of the rooks attempted to follow it, but they all rose up into the air and began to circle round the tree. Their disappointment and wrath were most apparent. One rook rapped out a good round oath. If ever a bird made use of a great big D he did. Then another exclaimed, " Well, that is annoying!" After that the whole lot began to talk about it, and express their indignation. But when they found that the owl had no intention of coming out of his hiding- place, one of the rooks cawed out,—" What's the stupid old owl to us ? Let us go back to dinner." And immediately the whole mob started off with a chorus of jeers at the bird of wisdom, and returned to the more important business of satisfying their hunger. The difference of intonation between the caws was so marked that it required little imagination to interpret their meaning.—I am, Sir, &c.,
R. M. GORE BROWNE. East lVoodhay Rectory, Newbury, February 2nd.
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