elm-tree. It was in the spring. At last they came frequently, and
chattered, and cawed, and flew round and round, as if they did not know
what to do about building their nests in it. By-and-by their visits
ceased, and they built their nests as usual in the Rectory trees. That
very summer, during one still night, a large branch, almost a third of
the elm-tree, fell to the ground. The rooks seemed to know that the
tree was not safe, and so they would not build in it. That was two years
ago; and this spring they have begun to build, and there are several
nests now in our elm-tree. It is most interesting to watch the ways of
rooks; they seem to have a lot of business on hand. There is another
rookery in the town, in the garden of Mrs. Cross, a friend of my
mother's. Rooks always leave the town rookeries for the country as soon
as their young ones are able to fly. Now Mrs. Cross noticed that her
rooks, after they had gone to the fields, always came back each morning
quite early to look after their nests. They stayed a little while to
talk over matters; then they flew back again to the fields. One very
stormy morning she noticed that instead of the whole flock coming and
alighting, one solitary rook ventured through the wind and rain, flying
round and round the trees without settling, and then flew back again to
the others to give his report that all was right in the old home."

"What clever birds they must be!" said Mary.

"They are," said Tom. "There are lots of stories about rooks, but what I
have told you happened under our very eyes.--I have a sparrow-hawk's egg
here, white, spotted with brown. It was given to my father by a man for
me. There are not many of these birds about here."

"Oh," said Jack, "I wish I could get a collection of birds' eggs!"