90 BIRDS OF GUERNSEY. 



nothing of the couple this year. I beHeve it is not 

 at all uncommon for these birds to pair in Scotland 

 and other places where both species are numerous 

 in the breeding-season, but this is the only instance 

 I have heard of in the Channel Islands — in fact, it 

 is the only time I have heard of the Hooded Crow 

 remaining on till the summer. 



The Hooded Crow is included in Professor 

 Ansted's list, and marked as occurring in Guernsey 

 and Sark ; and there are two specimens in the 

 Museum. 



79. EooK. Coitus frugileg us, Linnaeus. French, 

 "Freux" " Corbeau Freux." — I have never seen 

 the Eook in the Islands myself, even as a stranger, 

 but Mr. Gallienne in his notes to Professor Ansted's 



this, of course both forms must be traced throughout the 

 whole of their geographical range, and not merely through 

 the British Islands) ; that their geographical distribution is 

 sufficiently similar not to present any difficulty ; that they 

 breed freely together ; and that their offsprings are fertile, a 

 very important consideration in judging whether two forms 

 should be separated or joined as one species. This last 

 seems to me to present the greatest difficulty, and the 

 evidence at present appears scarcely conclusive. Of course 

 in the limits of a note to a work like the present it is impos- 

 sible to discuss so large a question. I can only refer my 

 readers to Professor Newton's work, where they will find 

 nearly all that can be said on the subject, and the reasons 

 which have induced him to come to the conclusion he has. 



