ROCKET — ROOK. 201 



ROLLER [No. 207]. From Fr. Rollier. The name, which is 

 found in Willughby, appears to originate with Gesner (1555) 

 who says it was so called near Strasburg from its habit of 

 rolling or turning over in its flight. 



Rood Goose : The BRENT GOOSE. Swainson thinks it is 

 from its cry (" rott "). 



ROOK [No. 4]. Occurs in Aldrovandus (1599) as "Roock," 

 and in Merrett (1667) and also Willughby as Rook. Turner 

 describes it as probably the frugilega of Ai'istotle, but gives 

 no English name. Shakespeare also mentions it (as a bird 

 of ill-omen) in " Macbeth " (act ni, sc. 4). It is probably 

 so named from its colour, rook (A. Sax. kruc) being equivalent 

 to smoke-black ; rooky is adjectivally used to denote this. It 

 is an equivalent of the German rauch, smoke. Some authori- 

 ties have, Mdth much less reason, preferred raucus, from the 

 bird's hoarse note. In some parts of the coimtry, according 

 to Swainson, it is believed that Rooks forsake their home 

 on the do^Mifall of the family, or death of the heir of the 

 estate ; this belief prevailing in Northumberland, Rvitland 

 and Cornwall. Dyev also says that it is a very prevalent 

 notion in the North of England that " when Rooks desert 

 a rookery \\iiich they have tenanted for a number of years, 

 it foretells the coming downfall of the family on whose 

 property it is." It is supposed that in earlier times owners 

 of estates prided themselves on attaching the Rooks to 

 them because they were regarded as " fowls of good omen." 

 The Rook is one of the most commonly believed in as a 

 weather prognosticator among birds. When it hangs about 

 home or flies up and do\ATi or especially low, rain or wind 

 may be expected ; when it "tumbles " or drops in its flight 

 it is taken as a sure sign of rain. In cormexion A\ith this 

 Dr. Jenner's lines may be cited — 



And, see yon rooks how odd their flight. 



They imitate the ghding kite, 



And seem precipitate to fall. 



As if they felt the piercing ball — 



" Twill surely rain — I see with sorrow 



Our jaunt mast be put off to-morrow." 



If the birds feed busily and hurry over the ground in one 

 direction, and in a compact body, a storm \vill soon follow. 

 When thej^ sit in rows on dykes and palings wind is looked 

 for ; while when going home to roost if they fly high the next 

 day will be fair, and vice versa (InAvards). A Devonshire 

 saying is that if Rooks stay at home, or return in the middle 

 of the da\-, it A\ill rain ; if thej' go far abroad, it will be fine. 



