10 



BRITISH BIRDS 



. ., 



comix Linnteusj. Moi'u or less stationary in Ireland, Isle of 

 Man, N. Scotland, rarely England. Winter visitor and bird 

 of passage E. and N. British counties. 



Bird. Length 19 in. Distinguished 

 from the carrion-crow only by its 

 grey mantle and under-parts. Hybrids 

 between this and the carrion - crow 

 show every gradation between the color- 

 ation of the parent species. 

 Nest. As carrion-crow's. 

 Eggs. As carrion-crow's, but often 

 greener. Laying begins usually in 

 April. One brood. 

 4. Rook [Corvus frugilegus frugilegus Linnaeus], Common 

 resident throughout British Isles. 



Bird. Length 19 in. Black with bright violet and blue 

 gloss. Distinguished from the carrion- 

 crow by the shape of the bill (Tig. 4) 

 and by the conspicuous bare whitish skin 

 round its base. 

 The statement 

 that the two 

 species can be dis- 

 tinguished by the 

 colour of the bases 



of the feathers is inexact ; these are 

 normally grey in both. The young, up 

 to the second autumn moult, lack the 

 bare face, the base of the bill being feathered. 



Nest. The species nests in colonies usually in 

 tree-tops, occasionally on chimney stacks, church 

 spires, in ^ hedges, bushes. Outside : sticks, 

 earth. Inside : moss, leaves, grass, wool, &c. 



Usually 3-5. Normally greenish with olive-brown 

 markings. Size, 1 '6 x 1 '06 in. Laying 

 begins in March-April. One brood. 

 5. Jackdaw [Corvus monedula sper- 

 mologus Vieillot]. See Rook. 



Bird. Length 14 in. Black with 

 blue-green or purple gloss. Distin- 

 guished from the preceding species, 

 with which it is often seen, by its 

 smaller size, quicker wing-beats, blue- 

 white iris, and the grey on its nape, 

 neck, and ear-coverts. 



Fig. 4. 



Fig. 5. 



Nest. In any convenient hole, usually in buildings, rocks, or 



