54 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



Dr. Moore records it as at one time met with on the 

 coast pretty frequently, but certainly its visits of 

 late years have been very sparse. 



ROOK. — Gorvus fnujUegus, Linn, 

 A MOST abundant resident, as its numerous Rookeries 

 testifiy, but these are of course only resorted to iu 

 the breeding season, the birds at other tiines 

 congregating- to roost in large woods. Writing 

 under date of September 21st, 1873, Mr. Gatcombe 

 records observing '' sixteen Rooks flying round and 

 dipping in the water among a flock of Gulls, at the 

 stern of the Royal Adelaide in the (Plymouth) 

 Harbour. Acting like Gulls has become quite a 

 habit with the Rooks in our Harbours " (Zool. 1873 

 p. 3393). 



RAVEN. — Corvus corax, Linn. 

 A EESIDENT, isolated pairs having nested on the sea- 

 cliffs of North and South Devon from time 

 immemorial, and others breeding on Dartmoor. 

 Mr. Warburton informs me that a pair frequent the 

 cliffs at Babbacombe, Torquay, and others breed at 

 Watcombe, near llfracombe, and at Baggy Point ; 

 it is however much persecuted. Mr. Gatcombe often 

 examined young Ravens brought in to Plymouth 

 dealers from Dartmoor and the sea coast. An adult, 

 which I examined in the flesh, was shot at Downes, 

 Crediton, October 12th, 1888. Mr. A. H. 

 Macpherson, when on the rocks at Babbacombe in 

 March 1887, saw one of the pair of Ravens that nest 



