BIRDS. 127 



RAVEN B. Now very rare. It used to be seen on the 

 C. corax. Longmynd, Wrekin, and on the Welsh 



border, and nested regularly in Hawk- 

 stone Park, on the Longmynd, and at Linley near 

 Bishop's Castle. The last instance was in 1884, when 

 some young ones were taken from a nest in a quarry, 

 near Church Stretton. A Raven was killed at 

 Ratlinghope, in December, 1895, an d the Bird 

 has been seen near Kinnerley, in 1887 and 1899. 



CARRION CROW B. Still plentiful in the wilder parts of 

 C. corone. the County, but is very much persecuted 



and is therefore gradually decreasing in 

 numbers. Many people speak of Rooks as "Crows," 

 but the former are distinguished by their gregarious habits, 

 and even on the wing by the bare white skin round 

 the base of the beak. The Crow has this part covered 

 with black bristles. The roof of the mouth is always of a 

 pale flesh-colour ; that of the Rook is at first dark flesh- 

 colour, soon turning livid, and afterwards slate-colour. 



Hooded Crow. Resembles the Carrion Crow, but has a 



C. comix. grey back and breast. Mr. Beckwith 



Oct. Mar. says it is very rare, but gives several 



instances of its occurrence in the 



County, three in 1889 of which two were caught in a 



rabbit warren at Shirlett. It seems, however, to visit us 



almost every winter but never in any numbers. 



ROOK B. One of the most familiar and abundant of our 



C. frugilegus. birds. Space forbids details of its 



many interesting traits of character, 



but few birds will so well repay patient study. It exists 



on insects and vegetable food, but in the severe winter 



