RAVEN, CROW, ROOK, JACKDAW. 225 



ancient philosopher who was killed by a Crow dropping an oyster on his head, 

 mistaking it for :i stone, is corroborated by the celebrated Watt, who relates, that 

 a Crow caught up a crab, rose with it to a considerable height, dropped it, not on 

 the head of a modern philosopher, who might have fared quite as badly as the 

 ancient one, but on a stone, and then descended to his feast. 



He learns after a while to distinguish the different members of the family, and 

 t'ven learns how to tell time, provided the meals are set punctually. With all his 

 faults, the Crow is not such a bad fellow : he is, to be sure, no friend of the agri- 

 culturist, who would prefer any other singing pet to him ; but when tame, and 

 placed where his depredations are not felt, he is as well thought of as any of his 

 kind. 



The Rook belongs to a most numerous tribe in England, where he has been the 

 subject of much study by naturalists. The birds live in a semi-domestic state in 

 that country, and build their nests in the immediate habitation of man, and even 

 in the crowded cities. They are probably the most brilliantly colored of any of the 

 members of this family. The gloss} 7 black coat is resplendent with purple, blue, 

 and green shadings. The Rook, like his brother the Crow, has an intense dislike 

 of guns, and will take immediate flight at sight of one. He is a very social bird, 

 which is a natural trait with the entire family. 



It was the subject of much discussion in England, whether the Rooks were bene- 

 ficial or hurtful to the crops ; and an extensive experiment was tried in some of the 

 largest fanning districts : a reward was offered for every Rook's head, with a 

 view of exterminating them from the entire district, owing to their depredations in 

 the cornfields. It was the means of driving them entirely from the neighborhood : 

 and for the succeeding three years the crops failed entirely, owing to the destruc- 

 tiveness of bugs and insects of various kinds. As a consequence, the farmers were 

 obliged to restock their farms with Rooks, as allies to keep in check foes otherwise 

 irresistible. He is the earliest abroad of all birds ; and, when the dew is on the 

 ground, he ma} T be seen searching after worms and insects. He is almost as large 

 as the Raven, being nineteen inches in length, and resembles that bird greatly in 

 his curious antics and mischievous pranks. 



The Jackdaw, probably the favorite of all the tribe, is somewhat smaller than 

 the Rook, being fourteen inches in length, and is easily distinguished from him by 

 the light-gray feathers on the head and neck. The body is black, the feathers 

 on the under side being somewhat paler than on the upper. He is a great friend of 

 the Rook's ; and, wherever one is found, the other is sure to be. He builds his nest 

 in the crevices of tall buildings or spires, and sometimes inside of chimneys, regard- 

 less of the smoke. It is related, that one pair brought so many sticks together while 

 building their nest inside a chimney as to stop it up entirely. He is a droll fellow, 

 and will pay attention to the slightest things which go on about him. He will 

 observe you closely when drawing your watch from your pocket, and, if on intimate 

 terms, will do all in his power to let you know that he can do it equally as well. 

 The striking of a match pleases him immensely ; and one of these birds which had 

 become very tame practised the feat so thoroughly, that, after burning himself 

 severely, he finally completed his experiments by setting the house a-fire in the 

 middle of the night. 



