"The boy shouted, and shook a branch with a nest on it. Half a
dozen young rooks in violent conversation, flew out to ask what
the matter was. The old gentleman fired by way of reply. Down
fell one bird, and off flew the others.

'Take him up, Joe,' said the old gentleman.

There was a smile upon the youth's face as he advanced.
Indistinct visions of rook-pie floated through his imagination.
He laughed as he retired with the bird--it was a plump one."

I never heard of eating rooks before.

Well, the king had four and twenty blackbirds in his great big pie.

I've mentioned this before here, but I'll mention it again. My granny used to bake robin pie for her boys, Chambers, Paige, Bill and Earl. Te boys would shoot the robins roosting in the dogwood and cherry trees, clean the birds, and Granny would bake the birds in a pie. This is such a strange thing for me to consider. I do not think I could eat rook, robin, and blackbird pies unless starving and dying.