ROOK. 99 



unlike their usual cry. " In the intervals," it is observed, "I 

 could distinguish the faint shrill voice of the newly hatched 

 young, which their mothers, I felt persuaded, were fondling 

 and coaxing in this manner. Indeed the sounds were plainly 

 expressive of affection, and a desire to please." The numer- 

 ous muscles already described as belonging to all the species 

 of the Crow tribe, sufficiently account for the powers here 

 manifested by the Rook. 



This bird is probably nowhere more common than in 

 England and Ireland ; but decreases in numbers as you pro- 

 ceed northward in Scotland, and is not found in Orkney or 

 Shetland. A few are observed in Denmark, the southern 

 part of Sweden, Russia, and northern Asia. It is said to be 

 somewhat migratory over part of the European continent, 

 and is not found in Guernsey or Jersey, though observed 

 occasionally to fly across the Channel from this country. It 

 has been found in the range between the Black and the Cas- 

 pian seas ; and M. Temminck says it is an inhabitant of 

 Japan. 



The anterior part of the beak shining black ; the basal part 

 of both mandibles, as well as the skin under the tongue and 

 on the throat, naked of feathers, scabrous, and warty, and this 

 is the most obvious external distinction between the Rook 

 and Carrion Crow ; the irides dark brown ; the whole of the 

 plumage black, glossed with purple, particularly over the 

 neck and back ; under surface of wing and tail-feathers grey- 

 ish black. Legs, toes, and claws, shining black. 



The whole length of the adult male described was nineteen 

 inches and a half; from the carpal joint of the wing to the 

 end of the longest quill-feather, twelve inches and one quar- 

 ter ; the first feather three inches shorter than the second ; 

 the second one inch shorter than the fourth, which is the 

 longest in the wing ; the third is as much shorter than the 

 fourth as it is longer than the fifth. 



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