ROCKET ROOK. 201 



ROLLER [No. 207]. From Fr. Eottier. The name, which is 

 found in Willughby, appears to originate with Gesner (1555) 

 who says it was so called near Strasburg from its habit of 

 rolling or turning over in its flight. 



ROOD GOOSE : The BRENT GOOSE. Swainson thinks it is 

 from its cry ("rott"). 



ROOK [No. 4]. Occurs in Aldrovandus (1599) as " Roock," 

 and in Merrett (1667) and also Willughby as Rook. Turner 

 describes it as probably the frugilega of Aristotle, but gives 

 no English name. Shakespeare also mentions it (as a bird 

 of ill-omen) in " Macbeth " (act in, sc. 4). It is probably 

 so named from its colour, rook (A.Sax. hroc) being equivalent 

 to smoke-black ; rooky is adjectivally used to denote this. It 

 is an equivalent of the German ranch, smoke. Some authori- 

 ties have, with much less reason, preferred mucus, from the 

 bird's hoarse note. In some parts of the country, according 

 to Swainson, it is believed that Rooks forsake their home 

 on the downfall of the family, or death of the heir of the 

 estate ; this belief prevailing in Northumberland, Rutland 

 and Cornwall. Dyer also says that it is a very prevalent 

 notion in the North of England that " when Rooks desert 

 a rookery which they have tenanted for a number of years, 

 it foretells the coming downfall of the family on whose 

 property it is." It is supposed that in earlier times owners 

 of estates prided themselves on attaching the Rooks to 

 them because they w T ere regarded as " fowls of good omen." 

 The Rook is one of the most commonly believed in as a 

 weather prognosticator among birds. When it hangs about 

 home or flies up and down or especially low, rain or wind 

 may be expected ; when it " tumbles " or drops in its flight 

 it is taken as a sure sign of rain. In connexion with this 

 Dr. Jenner's lines may be cited 



And, see yon rooks how odd their flight, 



They imitate the gliding kite, 



And seem precipitate to fall, 



As if they felt the piercing ball 



" Twill surely rain I see with sorrow 



Our jaunt must be put off to-morrow." 



If the birds feed busily and hurry over the ground in one 

 direction, and in a compact body, a storm will soon follow. 

 When they sit in rows on dykes and palings wind is looked 

 for ; while when going home to roost if they fly high the next 

 day will be fair, and vice versa (Inwards). A Devonshire 

 saying is that if Rooks stay at home, or return in the middle 

 of the day, it will rain ; if they go far abroad, it will be fine. 



