ed by Mr. French, on the authority
of Dr. Spurgin, in the second volume of the _Zoological Journal_, which
merits attention, in regard to the rook.

A gentleman occupied a farm in Essex, where he had not long resided
before numerous rooks built their nests on the trees surrounding his
premises; the rookery was much prized; the farmer, however, being induced
to hire a larger farm about three quarters of a mile distant, he left the
farm and the rookery; but, to his surprise and pleasure, the whole
rookery deserted their former habitation and came to the new one of their
old master, where they continue to flourish. It ought to be added, that
this gentleman was strongly attached to all animals whatsoever, and of
course used them kindly.

The _Swallow_, _Swift_, and _Martin_, seem to have almost deserted
London, although they are occasionally, though not very plentifully, to
be seen in the suburbs. Two reasons may be assigned for this relative to
the swallow; flies are not there so plentiful as in the open country; and
most of the chimneys have conical or other contracted tops to them,
which, if they do not preclude, are certainly no temptation to their
building in such places; the top of a chimney being, as is well known,
its favourite site for its nest. The _Martin_ is also scarce in London.
But, during the summer of 1820, I observed a _Martin's_ nest against a
blind window in Goswell Street Road, on the construction of which the
_Martins_ were extremely busy in the early part of the month of August. I
have since seen many _Martins_, (August, 1826,) busily engaged in
skimming over a pool in the fields, to the south of Islington: most of
these were, I conjecture, young birds, as they were brown, not black; but
they had the _white_ on the rump, which is characteristic of the species.
A few days afterwards I observed several _Martin's_ nests in a blind
window on Islington-Green. And, Sept. 20, of the same year, I saw from
the window of my present residence, in Dalby Terrace, City Road, many
similar birds actively on the wing.

The _Redbreast_ has been, I am told, occasionally seen in the
neighbourhood of Fleet-market and Ludgate-hill. I saw it myself before
the window of my present residence, Dalby Terrace, in November, 1825, and
in Nov. 1826, the _Wren_ was seen on the shrubs in the garden before the
house at Dalby Terrace; it was very lively and active, and uttered its
peculiar _chit, chit_.

The _Starling_ builds on th