6 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY 



nesting throughout the greater part of Northern and Central 

 Europe, extending eastwards in Siberia to the valley of the 

 Irtisch river, and nesting in Turkestan. It breeds through- 

 out the greater part of France, locally in Northern Italy, and 

 the Danubian provinces, as well as in Southern Russia. In the 

 Mediterranean countries it is principally known as a winter 

 visitor, and probably the birds which breed in Central Asia are 

 those which find their way to North-western India and Persia 

 in winter. The northern range of the Rook extends to the 

 Arctic Circle in Scandinavia, but only to about 64 N. lat. in 

 Russia and Western Siberia ; its eastern range being limited 

 by the yoth meridian of longitude. 



Habits. The Rook is a gregarious bird, being always 

 found in flocks, both in winter and during the nesting-season ; 

 therein again differing from the Carrion Crow, which is always 

 seen in pairs. It is practically an omnivorous bird, devouring 

 flesh, fruit, and gaibage, neither disdaining to scavenge on the 

 sea-shore, or to hany an orchard. It will devour a number of 

 walnuts when they have reached a good size and are almost 

 ripe for picking, and in dry seasons, when other food-supplies 

 fail, the Rook will undoubtedly feed on young birds, and also 

 pilfer the eggs of birds which build in the open, such as 

 Wheatears, Pipits, and Larks. On the other hand the amount 

 of good done by the Rooks in the destruction of wire-worms 

 and other noxious grubs is incalculable, and the bird, like the 

 Starling, is a veritable friend to the farmer. In Scotland, 

 where it is supposed to do some injury to young birds, the 

 Rook is regarded with no more favour than it is in Holland, 

 though it doubtless often suffers for the misdeeds of the 

 Hooded Crow. 



Rooks are decidedly capricious in their choice of a 

 nesting-place, but when once a rookery is established, it is 

 seldom that the locality is deserted, and the birds will return 

 year after year in spite of persecution. Thus some three 

 years ago, in the town of Leiden, the Rooks took up their 

 abode in the trees which line the principal streets, and came back 

 the next year in spite of the previous destruction of their nests. 

 On their return, however, the inhabitants objected to the 

 noise and litter of the birds, and a man was employed by the 



