259 



accessible my bird evidently despises the luxury, for 

 be has never willingly wet one of his feathers since he 

 has been in my possession. 



The Quail Fincli seems to be fairly hardy, but to 

 winter in the open air a bird which habitually sleeps 

 on the ground would be very unwise, unless of course 

 one wished to try an experiment — which in case of 

 failure would be rather costlv. 



(toncerniuG IRooke-botb UGlilC) anO 

 ^anie. 



By w. Geo. Crkswei^i,, M.D. 



These birds do not appear to be generally regarded 

 as possible pets, the reason being probably to be found 

 in the difficulty of abstracting the fledglings from 

 their inaccessible nests, and in the conservatism which 

 leads us to think of the young Rook as only existing 

 to be shot — sitting, be it borne in mind— for the pie 

 dish. But when by happy chance a Rook does become 

 a member of some human family, he is found to 

 possess in a very high degree all those traits of Cor- 

 vine character, which from time immemorial have 

 made his congeners such amusing and intelligent 

 companions. 



I do not remember ever having actually owned a 

 Rook myself, unless one may have figured in the long 

 forgotten kaleidoscope of half a century ago, when 

 birds came and birds went — in the various directions 

 peculiar to the ideas and ways of early youth. Yet it 

 has fallen to my lot in later days to be the temporary 

 guardian of one of these friendly Crows. It thus fell 

 out. One Jul}' morning (1900) the wife of a medical 



