ROOK. 



101 



the head, both of which are entirely destitute of feathers. 

 Another specimen, in the possession of Mr. R. Wood, a 

 zealous collector of objects in natural history, residing in 

 Manchester, has the mandibles greatly elongated, and much 

 curved. Now it is evident that the bird, possessing a bill 

 thus formed, could not thrust it into the ground in search of 

 worms and the larvae of insects, as the Rook is known to do 

 habitually ; and, accordingly, the plumage at the base of the 

 bill of this individual, and the bristly feathers which cover 

 its nostrils, are very conspicuous ; not having sustained the 

 slightest injury. The opinion, entertained by many persons, 

 that the naked condition of the nostrils and anterior part of 

 the head is an original peculiarity in the Rook, is thus satis- 

 factorily proved to be incorrect : indeed the fact that young 

 Rooks exhibit no deficiency in these particulars, is sufficiently 

 conclusive on this point ; but the possibility of an entire 

 species being endowed with an instinct destructive of a usual 

 portion of its organization, was probably never contemplated 

 by these observers ; it is not surprising, therefore, that the 

 inference, deduced from a partial view of the subject, should 

 be erroneous." 



