76 MID-APRIL 
not an idle query, for it is a common thing 
both in towns and in the country to see large 
birds entirely black flying about, and we 
call them’ all “ crows.’ * In the: first place: 
when you see such a bird the great proba- 
bility is that it 1s a rook; for they aresvem: 
common,.and often construct the well-known 
rookeries, a familiar sight within the pre- 
cincts of a town. 
They build their, nests \in the topmess 
forks of the tallest trees, elms if available, 
because the top branches are conveniently 
forked and do not obstruct flight. The birds 
will come down on the grass at nesting 
time. Their mode of progression should be 
noted—they walk, whereas the carrion crow 
generally hops. The males may sometimes 
be seen here, feeding the females and the 
young. Here, too; “you can often een 
close view of the birds during nesting time ; 
under other circumstances you can rarely get 
near them. They may be observed flying 
from place to place in search of food or going 
to water at all seasons and times, but chiefly 
