SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR BIRD STUDY. 113 



SOME COMMON BIRDS. 



Appended are brief notes upon a few common birds, 

 selected mainly on account of their relation to agricultural 

 life. These notes are not exhaustive descriptions of the 

 birds ; only the most outstanding structural characters 

 are named. But it is hoped the notes on feeding habits 

 will be of some value, since definite information of this 

 kind is exceedingly scarce. Lessons may quite readily be 

 given upon those birds which are known to the pupils 

 observationally in the neighbourhood of their homes or 

 of the school. Such lessons should be taught orally, by 

 question and answer, if specimens of the birds are not 

 available, and the knowledge of the pupils supplemented 

 by such information as is given below. The aim should be 

 to stimulate observation of the habits of the birds under 

 consideration. 



In the following notes the letter R. denotes Resident, and 

 the letters S.Y. denotes Summer Visitor. 



ROOK (R.) The rook is readily distinguished in the 

 adult condition from the other members of the crow family 

 by the abraded condition of the part of the head around 

 the base of the bill and of the throat. The male is about 

 19^ inches from tip of bill to tip of tail, female about 18| 

 inches. The colour is black, with purple and steel blue 

 reflections. The young are without the bare patch, and 

 less glossy. Rooks are gregarious, living mostly in large 

 companies, nesting together forming rookeries. They feed 

 mostly on land under cultivation, and it continues to be a 

 debated question as to whether their feeding habits are 

 mainly inimical to the interests of the farmer. 



There appears to be no doubt that they levy a more than 

 fair toll upon seed corn, potatoes, and? turnips, pecking 

 holes in these last and rendering them unfit for use. Some- 

 times they take fruit, e.g. apples and pears. But it must 

 be borne in mind that these attacks are limited to parts of 

 the year only, while on the other hand the rook is a per- 

 sistent feeder upon insect life, very largely of the injurious 

 N.S. 8 



