Rook. INSESSORES. CORVUS. 333 



ROOK. 



CoRVUS FRUGiLEGUS, Linn. 



PLATE XXXII. 



Corvus frugilegiis, Limi. Syst. 1. 156. 4 — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 366. sp. 4 — 



Lath. Ind. Cirnith. v. 1. p. 152. sp. 5. 



Cornix nigra frugilega, liail Syn. p. 83. A. 3 Will. p. 84. t. 18. 



Cornix frugilega, Briss. 2. p. 16. 3. 



Le Freu ou Frayonne, Bvff. Ois. v. 3. p. 55 — Id. PL Enl. 484. 



Frenx. Tcmm. Man. d'Ornith. v. 1. p. 110. 



Saat-Uabe, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 1199 — Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 



V. 1, p. 97 Frisch. Vog. t. 64. 



Rook, Br. Zool. v. 2. 221. 76— A ret. Zool. 2. p. 250. A — Will. (Ang.) 



p. 123 Leivin's Br. Birds, 1. t. 35 Lalh. Syn. 1. p. 372. 4 — Id. Supp. 



p. 76 Mont. Ornith. Diet Bewick's Br, Birds, 1. p. 71 — Pult. Cat. 



Dorset, p. 4 Shaw's Zool. v. 7- p. 347- 



The rook is in general rather larger than the Carrion-Crow, 

 from which it greatly differs in habits. Its bill is also longer, 

 the upper mandible weaker, and not so much arched, and 

 the glossy tint of its plumage more inclined to purple. 



In the adult state it is easily distinguished by the naked 

 and scurfy white skin at the base of its bill and on the chin, 

 produced by the abrasion of its bristly feathers, which, in 

 the young bird, cover this part and the nostrils * : These 

 feathers are generally worn off by constant thrusting of its 

 bill into the soil in search of worms and the larvae of the dif- 

 ferent insects, that form its principal food. It also eats grain Food, 

 and other seeds. The Rook has erroneously been viewed in 

 the light of an enemy by most husbandmen, and in several 

 districts attempts have been made either to banish it, or to 

 extirpate the breed. But wherever this measure has been 



• Mr Bewick holds this to be an original peculiarity, and not produced 

 by the above mentioned cause ; and says, that the same appearance has 

 been observed in those brought up in a domesticated state, and not under- 

 going the usual method of subsistence. I have kept Rooks till they have 

 been more than a year old, without noticing any approach to this peculia- 

 rity ; and, in a wild state, it is usually apparent before that period. 



