Ornithological Notes, by Valentine Knight, Esq. 259 



that the assertion as to their inter-breeding is difficult to dis- 

 prove ; but on the other hand, those who hold the theory 

 that they are one and the same species, or "races" of one 

 species — whatever that may signify in the way of a distinction — 

 and do inter -breed, have at least one very great difficulty to face, 

 viz., that of the migration of the Hooded Crow, which species, as 

 regards England at least, is migratory almost to a bird, arriving 

 on the English coasts in large numbers in autumn, and leaving 

 again northwards in the spring to breed. If they are mere 

 varieties of one species, how comes it that the black variety re- 

 mains throughout the year and breeds all over England, there 

 being no perceptible diminution in their numbers, so far as can 

 be noticed, at any season of the year ? Why, also, do we see the 

 Carrion Crow in pairs like its congener the Raven, which is 

 generally seen either singly or in pairs ? Gilbert White says 

 "Crows go in pairs all the year round;" Montagu also says 

 " These birds (Corvus Corone) keep in pairs all the year, seldom 

 congregating but to regale on some carcase, or in winter to 

 roost ;" whilst, on the other hand, the Hooded Crow, during its 

 sojourn with us, habitually feeds and roosts in large numbers, 

 never in pairs; nay, have not the "Twa Corbies" figured in 

 verse ? May it not rather be that these so called Carrion Crows, 

 inter-breeding with the Hooded, are merely what some call them, 

 viz. : — " black varieties " of the Hooded, and not Carrion Crows 

 at all ? Be this as it may, it seems that in England we have no 

 perceptible difference at any time of the year in the numbers of 

 the Carrion Crow, all apparently remaining to breed ; whilst, on 

 the other hand, we have a very large immigration of the Hooded 

 species in the autumn, going in flocks and not in pairs during 

 their sojourn, and all leaving to breed in the north in the spring ; 

 the few isolated instances in England to the contrary prove 

 nothing. It is more than probable that the bird I saw near 

 Bamburgh, on the 28th of May, and the few others that have 

 been known to stay and rest, have been birds wounded in the 

 winter, and not sufficiently recovered to migrate northwards at 

 the usual time. 



Rook [Corvus frugilegus). — A very extraordinary specimen of 

 the Rook was shot on the 18th of May last, at Lowlynn, North- 

 umberland, in the rookery near the house, and kindly sent to me 

 by my brother, Henry Gregson, Esq. Description of this bird, 



1 G 



