ROOKS. 195 



time in the same place, uttering the same twittering note 

 upon the ground, as when perched on trees or reeds. This 

 habit is usually observable in pastures ; sometimes, though 

 rarely, in stubble-fields; but never upon fallow or new- 

 ploughed land. 



We have pointed out some of the broad marks of distinc- 

 tion between the Crow and the Rook, as far as relates to their 

 food and habits : a slight reference to the personal difference 

 between them will be sufficient. The beak of the Crow is 

 more bent and rather stronger, and is never without the 

 bristly feathers that cover the base and the nostrils, as is 

 the case with the Rook, whose beak, when of full growth, 

 is easily distinguished by the naked and scurfy white skin at 

 its base and on the skin, produced, as some naturalists assert, 

 by the bristles being rubbed off", owing to its constantly 

 thrusting its bill deep into the soil, in search of worms and 

 insects. We feel, however, much inclined to doubt this, and 

 would rather attribute this nakedness in the base of the bill 

 to an original and natural peculiarity. It has been well 

 argued, in favour of the former opinion, that a specimen 

 was killed whose beak was much longer than usual, and the 

 extremities of which were not only much curved, but actually 

 crossed, like a Crossbill's, and that the base of the beak of 

 this bird, from an impossibility of its being thrust into the 

 ground, was clothed with a full plumage of bristles, and not 

 bare like those of other Rooks. On the other hand, it has 

 been urged, that if these bristles were worn down by being 

 thrust into the ground, they would be renewed, like other 

 feathers, at the regular moulting-time ; and, further, as all 

 new feathers are full of blood at the roots, any application 

 tending to grind them down would be so painful to the 

 Rook, that it would be very unwilling, if indeed able, to 

 thrust its beak into the ground ; and again, which we con- 

 sider as a still stronger argument, it may be asked, if the 

 Rook's bristles are destroyed by this process, how comes it 

 that the Jackdaw, Jay, and Magpie, and some other birds, 

 retain them, though as constantly thrusting their beaks into 

 the ground, in search of worms, as the Rooks ? 



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