CORVID^. 



247 



THE ROOK. 



CoRVUS FRUGiLEGUS, Linnseus. 



The Rook is even better known than the Jackdaw, owing to its 

 custom of Hving in noisy flocks throughout the year, and its tendency 

 to select the vicinity of human habitations for its breeding-places. Few 

 rookeries now exist in London, and the same may be said of other 

 spreading cities ; but as regards the country, the Rook is generally 

 distributed throughout England and Wales, being especially numerous 

 north of the Tees. In Scotland it has for some years been increasing 

 in numbers and northward range, breeding in Caithness and Suther- 

 land, the Outer Hebrides since 1895, ^"<^ the Orkneys; while in 

 Skye there are several rookeries. In the Shetlands, where trees are 

 scarce, the Rook is at present only a visitor. The increase of this 

 species is not regarded with favour in Scotland, for in default of 

 other food it undoubtedly pilfers eggs, and in the small area of 

 Renfrewshire it has been held responsible for 6,000 eggs in one 

 year. In Ireland it is common. Numbers from the Continent visit 

 our east coast (regularly) and our south-west districts (irregularly) in 

 October and November, and a considerable return migration has 

 been observed early in the spring. 



