edge no allegiance, and to hold no intercourse or
intimacy. Their airy tenements are built almost out of the reach of
gun-shot; and, notwithstanding their vicinity to the Hall, they
maintain a most reserved and distrustful shyness of mankind.

There is one season of the year, however, which brings all birds in a
manner to a level, and tames the pride of the loftiest high-flyer--which
is the season of building their nests. This takes place early in the
spring, when the forest trees first begin to show their buds; the long,
withy ends of the branches to turn green; when the wild strawberry, and
other herbage of the sheltered woodlands, put forth their tender and
tinted leaves; and the daisy and the primrose peep from under the
hedges. At this time there is a general bustle among the feathered
tribes; an incessant fluttering about, and a cheerful chirping;
indicative, like the germination of the vegetable world, of the reviving
life and fecundity of the year.

It is then that the rooks forget their usual stateliness and their shy
and lofty habits. Instead of keeping up in the high regions of the
air, swinging on the breezy tree-tops, and looking down with sovereign
contempt upon the humble crawlers upon earth, they are fain to throw
off for a time the dignity of the gentleman, to come down to the
ground, and put on the pains-taking and industrious character of a
labourer. They now lose their natural shyness, become fearless and
familiar, and may be seen plying about in all directions, with an air
of great assiduity, in search of building materials. Every now and
then your path will be crossed by one of these busy old gentlemen,
worrying about with awkward gait, as if troubled with the gout, or
with corns on his toes, casting about many a prying look, turning down
first one eye, then the other, in earnest consideration, upon every
straw he meets with; until, espying some mighty twig, large enough to
make a rafter for his air-castle, he will seize upon it with avidity,
and hurry away with it to the tree-top; fearing, apparently, lest you
should dispute with him the invaluable prize.

Like other castle-builders, these airy architects seem rather fanciful
in the materials with which they build, and to like those most which
come from a distance. Thus, though there are abundance of dry twigs on
the surrounding trees, yet they never think of making use of them, but
go foraging in distant lands, and come sailing home, one by one