THE ROOK. 105 



THE BOOK. 



The Book is about the size of the Carrion Crow, but its jlumage if 

 more glossy. It also differs in 

 having its nostrils and the 

 root of the bill naked : in the 

 Crow, these are covered with 

 bristly hair. This difference 

 arises from the Rook's thrust- 

 ing its bill continually into 

 the earth, in search of worms 

 and other food. 



Besides insects, the Books 

 feed on different kinds of 

 grain, thus causing some 

 inconvenience to the farmer ; 

 but this seems greatly repaid 



by the good they do to him, w MO*. 



in extirpating the maggots of 



some of the most destructive insects of the Beetle tribe. In some 

 parts of Great Britain, the farmers find it their interest to encourage 

 the breed of Books, as the only means of freeing their grounds 

 from the grub which produces the Cock-chafer, and which in this state 

 destroys the roots of corn and grass to such a degree, " that (says Mr. 

 Stillingfleet, one of the most accurate observers of nature which that 

 country ever produced) I have myself seen a piece of pasture-land 

 where you might turn up the turf with your foot." An intelligent 

 farmer in Berkshire informed this gentleman that one year, while his 

 men were hoeing a field of turnips, a great number of Books alighted 

 in a part of it where they were not at work. The consequence was a 

 remarkable fine crop in this part, while in the remainder of the field 

 there were scarcely any turnips that year. 



These birds are gregarious, being sometimes seen in flocks so great 

 as to darken the air in their flight. They build their nests on high 

 trees, close to each other; generally selecting a large clump of the 

 tallest trees for this purpose. When once settled, they every year fre- 

 quent the same place. Books are, however, bad neighbors to ea9h 

 other ; for they are continually fighting and pulling to pieces each 

 other's nests. These proceedings seem unfavorable to their living in 

 such close community : and yet, if a pair offer to build on a separate 

 tree, the nest is plundered and demolished at once. Some unhappy 

 couples are not permitted to finish any nest till the rest have all com- 

 pleted their build: ngs ; for as soon as they arrange a few sticks to- 

 gether, a party comos and demolishes the fabric. It generally happens 

 that one of the pair is stationed to keep guard, while the other goes 

 abroad for materials. From their conduct in these circumstances oui 

 eant-word rooking, for cheating, originated. 



As soon as the Books have finished their nests, and before they lay. 



