I1.] THE HISTORY OF A ROOK. 103

 

basin, and tall trees grew in and around it, whilst the
brushwood was very slight and straggling. Here,
time out of mind, the bodies of the best and most
illustrious of our race had been deposited, when they
had been fortunate enough to die near home, and to
escape the worthless hands of those who would have
devoted their carcasses to the melancholy and de-
grading use of serving as a scarecrow to keep others
of their kind from the newly-sown corn.

It was in this sacred spot that we resolved to place
those two noble birds who had fallen in the manner
which I have related. No trouble or expense was to
be spared on this occasion. Rooks were summoned
from every quarter, and attended in large quantities:
crows came up from the sea-shore to join the troop of
mourners ; myriads of starlings assembled to witness
the sad ceremony, and even the saucy jackdaws sent
a strong contingent of their noisy tribe, who were
singularly quiet and well-behaved on the occasion.

But I think what touched us most was the presence
of the two old ravens who had inhabited the tall fir-
trees for many nesting seasons past, and were popularly
believed to be ‘as old as the hills.’ How old that may
be Ihave never been able to ascertain with accuracy,
but I have no doubt that, as a well-conducted and sober
raven is said to live for several centuries, and there are
grave doubts about the necessity of such a bird ever
dying at all save by mischance or murder, these two
birds were of a very great age indeed. Struck with
pleasure indeed were we rooks when the two venerable
creatures came to pay this tribute to departed - worth,
and sat with melancholy croak upon the dead branches