134 A BOOK OF BIRDS 



FAMILY COR VI D^ {The Crows) 



With the Crows we come to the highest of all the Passerine birds. 

 This position they hold by virtue of the fact that in both sexes, and 

 in all stages of development, the plumage is practically the same, 

 though after the first moult of the young birds extra brilliancy is 

 gained. The Crows are also remarkably intelligent birds, and though 

 not one of them can, by any pretence, be called a songster, yet the 

 voice-muscles are extremely well developed. 



The largest and most famous of all the Crows is the Raven 

 (Plate XXX. fig. 5), a bird which is growing increasingly rare in 

 Great Britain, though in the wilder parts of these islands it may 

 continue to hold its own for a long while yet. As a pet the Raven 

 has few rivals. 



The Rook (Plate XXX. fig. 7) is peculiar among the Crows in the 

 matter of its curious bare face. Young Rooks, like all the other 

 Crows, have the face feathered and the nostrils protected by curiously 

 stiff feathers, whose tips are pointed forwards along the beak. After 

 the first moult these, together with the rest of the feathers of the 

 face, are shed, and henceforth an area of bare white skin, having the 

 appearance of being covered with powder, becomes the distinguishing 

 badge of this bird. Why these feathers should thus be shed is a 

 mystery, though many have attempted to solve it. The Rook is too 

 familiar a bird to need further description. 



The Jay, the Jackdaw, and the Magpie (Plate XXX. figs. 3, i, 

 2) are all, in spite of ruthless persecution at the hands of game- 

 keepers and game-preservers, fairly common birds. One cannot 

 but regret that this war of extermination should be so persistently 

 waged, for the harm these birds do is grossly exaggerated. 



The Nutcracker (Plate XXX. fig. 6) is only an accidental visitor 

 to Great Britain, having occurred in these islands about thirty times. 

 The seeds of fir-cones appear to be its favourite food ; but hazel-nuts 

 are also eagerly sought for, and these are said to be stowed away in 

 bulk in a sort of pouch under the tongue. 



