236 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



ROOK. 



DeHcripiin)i of Fareiit Birds. — Length from 

 eighteen to twenty-one inches. Beak large, strong, 

 arched towards the point, and hlack. liound the 

 base of the bill in the adult bird the skin is bare, 

 scurvy, and light grey. This feature readily dis- 

 tinguishes it from the Carrion Crow. Irides dark 

 brown. The whole of the plumage is black, glossed 

 with rich purple on the upper-parts. Legs, toes, 

 and claws black. 



The female is, as a rule, smaller and less brilliant. 



Hitudfion (Did Localif//. — Amongst the highest 

 branches of tall trees, in colonies or rookeries of 

 various sizes, throughout the country. I have seen 

 colonies of a dozen birds in an isolated clump of 

 ash trees away up in bleak hilly districts, and as 

 a contrast to this, it may be mentioned that in 

 1847 it was computed that Newliston Kookery, 

 near Edinburgh, contained no less than 2,663 nests. 



Materials. — Sticks and twigs knitted and plastered 

 together with mud and clay, and lined with straw, 

 hay, or wool. The bird is often very particular 

 about the kind of nest it constructs, and will pull 

 it to pieces and rebuild it several times. It is an 

 arrant rogue, and I have watched individuals steal 

 each others' sticks. The old nests are sometimes 

 repaired in the autumn, and it is said eggs are 

 laid. Our illustration is from a photograph taken 

 in Westmoreland, and shows a cluster of two or 

 three nests built into each other. 



Eggs. — Four to five, of a i)ale green or brownish- 

 green ground colour, spotted and blotched with 

 greenish or smoky -brown. Average size about 1-68 

 by 1-18 in. Distinguished by bird's gregarious habits. 



