THE ROOKS. 5 



Adult Female. — Similar in colour to the male, but slightly 

 smaller. Total length, 16 inches; culmen, 22; wing, 12-2; 

 tail, 7*4 ; tarsus, 22. 



Young. — Much duller in colour than the adult birds and 

 much less glossy, and distinguished at a glance by the 

 feathered face and nostrils, the latter being quite concealed 

 by bristles. 



It can readily be understood that the young Rook, with 

 its feathered face and feather-covered nostrils, may be mis- 

 taken for a Carrion Crow {Corone corone). The difference 

 in size and shape of the bill is not easily appreciated unless 

 the two birds can be compared together, but there is luckily a 

 character by which a Rook at all ages may be distinguished 

 from a Carrion Crow at all ages. On lifting the body feathers 

 of the Rook, it will be found that the bases of the latter are 

 grey, whereas the Carrion Crow has white bases to the 

 feathers. Considerable discussion has taken place as to the 

 method by which the Rook gains its bare face. It is certain 

 that the young birds retain their feathered face after their first 

 moult, and carry it through their first winter ; and, though 

 most Rooks seem to acquire their bare face by the ensuing 

 spring, Mr. Service has sent some specimens to the British 

 Museum, in which the face is only partially bared, though the 

 birds were killed in May and had bred. The question has 

 arisen as to whether the birds wear off these feathers of the 

 face by contact with the hard earth in which they seek for 

 food, or whether these feathers of the face drop off naturally, 

 leaving the face bare. There can be little doubt that the 

 latter is the case, and many Rooks killed during the winter 

 season have their faces half bare of feathers, the white 

 scabrous skin becoming apparent as the plumes fall off. 



Range in Great Britain. — Nearly universally distributed, but 

 not yet recorded as breeding in Shetland or the Outer Hebrides. 

 The Rook is to a certain extent migratory, and for a week 

 together vast numbers may be seen flocking into England by 

 the east coast, coming apparently from Scandinavia and other 

 parts of Northern Europe, in company with Hooded Crows, 

 Jackdaws, and Starlings. 



Rang© outside tne British Islands. — Generally distributed and 



