THE HOODED CROW 67 



it would be found scarcely to deviate from that of the preceding 

 or the following. It is to be feared that this inaccurate application 

 of names has done the Rook ill service ; yet the two birds are 

 totally distinct. Crows are solitary birds, rarely being seen 

 in more than pairs together ; Rooks are eminently sociable. Crows 

 shun the haunts of men ; Rooks court the vicinity of his dwellings. 

 Crows are carnivorous ; Rooks feed principally on the grubs of 

 beetles, worms, and noxious insects, rewarding themselves occa- 

 sionally for their services by regaling on corn and fruits, but rarely 

 touching carrion or molesting living animals. In appearance the two 

 birds are much alike ; the Crow, nowever, is somewhat smaller, the 

 beak is stouter at the point and encircled at the base with numerous 

 short feathers, while the bill of the Rook is encroached on by a 

 white membrane which is almost bare of feathers. Both are noted 

 for their intelligence ; the Crow has been known to remove its eggs 

 from its nest when apprehensive of danger ; it was held in high 

 consideration in the days of augury, and certain of its movements 

 were considered to be indicative of changes in the weather. It 

 builds its nest of sticks, and lines it with moss, straw, hair, and 

 wool, and lays from four to six eggs. Like the Raven, it is a widely- 

 diffused bird, and attains a great age, outliving (the ancients said) 

 nine generations of men, showing great attachment to any spot in 

 which it has once fixed its home, and suffering neither its own 

 progeny nor any other large Dirds to nestle in its vicinity. 



This Crow is becoming more numerous of late in the close vicinity 

 of London. It comes constantly to some of our suburban gardens. 



THE HOODED CROW, GREY OR ROYSTON CROW 



CORVUS CORNIX 



Head, throat, wings and tail black, the rest of the plumage ash-grey ; tail 

 rounded ; beak and feet black ; iris brown. Length nineteen and a half 

 inches ; breadth three feet two inches. Eggs bluish green, mottled with 

 ash-grey and olive. 



The Hooded Crow closely resembles the Carrion Crow, scarcely 

 differing from it in fact except in colour. They are, however, per- 

 fectly distinct species, and for the most part exercise their calling 

 in separate haunts. In Norway Hooded Crows are very abundant, 

 to the almost total exclusion of the Carrion Crow and Rook, and, 

 though not congregating so as to form a society like the last-named 

 bird, they may be seen simultaneously employed in searching for 

 food in groups which collectively amount to a hundred or 

 more. Though numerous in the winter at Newmarket Heath 

 and Royston (where they are sometimes called Royston Crows), 

 and annually resorting to many parts of the sea-coast, they rarely 

 breed so far south. In the Isle of Man, the Orkneys, Hebrides, 



