106 



CORVIN7T. CORVUS. 



50. CORVUS CORNIX. HOODED CROW. 



Feathers of the throat short, lanceolate, compact ; tail 

 straight, slightly rounded ; head, fore-neck, wings, and tail 

 black, the other parts ash-grey. Young with the plumage all 

 dull black, except a broad band of dusky round the fore part 

 of the body. 



Male, 101, 39, 13, 2 T \, 2J, 1 T \, ft. 



This species is very abundant in most parts of the northern 

 and middle divisions of Scotland, and its islands, but becomes 

 rarer as we advance southward. In many parts of England 

 it is found only during winter. It feeds on Crustacea, mol- 

 lusca, fish, larvee, worms, insects, young birds, small quadru- 

 peds, and seeds ; nestles in rocks and on trees, laying from 

 four to six eggs, an inch and seven- twelfths long, an inch 

 and one-twelfth in breadth, pale bluish-green, with oblong 

 and roundish spots of greenish-brown and pale purplish-grey. 



Grey-backed Crow. Grey Crow. Dun Crow. Bunting 

 Crow. Royston Crow. Heedy Crow. 



Corvus Comix, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 156. Corvus Cornix, 

 Temm. Man. d'Ornith, i. 109. Corvus Comix, Hooded Crow, 

 MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, i. 529. 



51. CORVUS FRUGILEGUS. BARE-FACED CROW, OR ROOK. 



Feathers of the fore part of the head and throat abraded ; 

 plumage black, splendent, with purple, blue, and green re- 

 flections, that of the neck blended, silky, steel-blue, purple, 

 and green ; the bill attenuated towards the tip. Young with 

 the head entirely feathered, the plumage black, less glossy. 



Male, 191, 38^, 12|, 2 T 4 T , 2|, 1 T 5 ^, T V Female, 18J, 36. 



The Rook is generally distributed, being common in all 

 the cultivated and partially wooded districts of Britain and 

 Ireland. Unlike the preceding species, it is gregarious, often 

 forming vast flocks, which breed together in tall trees, the 

 nestling places being termed rookeries. The nest is large, 

 composed of sticks, and lined with fibrous roots, long straws, 

 wool, and other substances. The eggs, four or five, an inch 

 and ten-twelfths long, an inch and a quarter broad, light 

 greenish-blue, blotched, clouded, spotted, dotted, or freckled 

 with greyish -brown, greenish-brown, and light purplish grey. 

 The young are hatched early in April. This species is more 

 vermivorous than those above described, feeding chiefly on 

 larvae, earth-worms, and insects, occasionally on grain, pota- 

 toes, and other substances, and in very dry or snowy weather 

 frequenting the sea-shore to feed on Crustacea and mollusca, 



