4 THE CROW FAMILY 



Russia, as well as in Denmark, E. Germany, Austro-Hungary, Italy, and the 

 Balkan Peninsula. It is also found in the Faroes, the Balearic Isles, Sicily, 

 Crete, and Cyprus, while a local race, C. cornix sardonic, inhabits Sardinia and 

 Corsica. Eastward its range extends in Asia to the Lena. In the British Isles 

 the hooded-crow is practically confined to Ireland, the Isle of Man, and North 

 Scotland, during the breeding season. The ranges of this and the preceding 

 species overlap, however, in Scotland, and have not been exactly worked out. 

 A few pairs have been known to stay to breed in some of the English counties, 

 especially in the north and east. [F. c. B. J.] 



3. Migration. Large flocks arrive on our east coasts from the east of 

 Europe from about the end of September to mid-October. These winter chiefly 

 in the eastern counties, and return to the Continent in February or April. A 

 separate immigration of flocks coming from Scandinavia is observed, chiefly in 

 the Orkneys and Shetland, during October and November, the flocks spreading 

 thence to the southward as far as the English northern shires. The return 

 takes place in March and April (Brit. Assoc. Report, 1903, p. 298). 

 [F. B. K.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Nesting place and nest : like the carrion-crow's, 

 but as in the British Isles it breeds farther north, nests on or near the ground 

 are more common. Both sexes share in building the nest (Naumann). The eggs, 

 4-5, sometimes 6, in number, resemble those of the carrion-crow, but are often 

 rather greener and slightly smaller. Bed eggs have been taken in Sweden. 

 Average size of 100 eggs, 1'62 x 1'14 in. [41 '2 x 29 mm.]. Laying begins in April, 

 occasionally in March. Both sexes incubate. The period of incubation is 18-19 

 days. One brood, like the rest of the Corvidse. [F. c. B. J. F. B. K.] 



5. Food. As the carrion-crow. Both parents feed the young (F. 

 Heatherley, see p. 25). 



6. Song Period. See p. 19. 



ROOK \C6rvus frugilegus, Linnaeus. Whitefaced or barefaced-crow. French, 

 freux ; German, Saatkrdhe ; Italian, corvo nero]. 



I. Description. Black with bright violet and also blue gloss. Length 

 19 in. [482 mm.]. (PI. 3.) Female slightly smaller and duller. Distinguished 

 from the crow by the tract of bare whitish skin at the base of the bill 

 (Figs. 1, 2). The young rook, up to its second autumn moult, resembles the 



