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The Rook inhabits Europe generally, and ranges in Asia as far east as India, being replaced in 

 China and Japan by a closely allied species, Corvus pastmator, Gould. 



In Great Britain it is an extremely numerous species, and there is scarcely a village near 

 which a rookery is not to be found, it being only in the most uncultivated and barren portions 

 of our island a scarce bird ; and as regards its range I may add that there does not appear to 

 be any tract in England and Ireland where it is not met with, if it can find there a congenial 

 home ; and in Scotland it ranges as far north as Shetland, though, owing probably to the wilder 

 portions of that country being but little under cultivation, it is not so numerous there as in 

 England. Mr. Robert Gray writes (B. of W. of Scotl. p. 179) as follows: — "Within a date 

 comparatively recent, this familiar bird has penetrated to, and become permanently established 

 in, places where previously it was only known as an uncertain summer visitant. Mr. Harvie 

 Brown has sent me word that it is not more than three or four years since the first rookery was 

 set up in West Sutherlandshire ; and I have been informed by Mr. Binning, of Dingwall, that 

 in the west of Ross-shire similar colonies were formed at Ullapool and other places in 1864. In 

 the Island of Skye there is a large rookery at Dunvegan wood, which is the most westerly 

 breeding-station in Scotland for the species. Dr. Dewar, who visited Dunvegan in April 1870, 

 informs me that Rooks have only gone there of late years, and that the trees on which the nests 

 are placed are very small. There can be no doubt that as the woods increase the distribution of 

 the Rook in Western Scotland will also become extended, though it is certain that this bird is 

 very destructive to the growth of trees, from its habit of breaking off twigs at the nesting-season. 

 From this circumstance, proprietors in the western highlands do not look upon the Rooks with 

 much favour, and would rather see them banished from outlying districts in which they have 

 already appeared. Rookeries are now numerous even in the wilder parts of Argyleshire." It 

 does not appear ever to have reached Greenland ; but, according to Professor Newton (Baring 

 Gould's Iceland, p. 410), some Black Crows have been observed in the south-west of Iceland, 

 which, as Jonas Hallgrimson says particularly that they were bald at the base of the bill, 

 must have been Rooks. It is found in the Fseroes, where, Captain Feilden says, it " appears 

 generally as a straggler, though sometimes in flocks. Muller writes that in March 1855 he saw 

 a large flock of them. One was killed near Thorshavn on the 6th February 1868; and I was 

 shown the skin of one in Suderoe which had been killed there the previous winter ; and its owner 

 considered it a rare and valuable bird." It occurs in Scandinavia ; and, according to Mr. Robert 

 Collett, it breeds annually, usually in small numbers, but periodically in large colonies in 

 Southern Norway, and flocks remain over winter in the coast-districts, as also in the interior. 

 In 1842 and 1843 large flocks were found in all parts of Norway below the fells; and, according 

 to Professor Rasch, it bred as far up as Namdalen. It is, however, as a rule, a migrant to 

 Norway, arriving in February, March, or April, and leaving in October and November. Nilsson 

 says that it is a migrant in Sweden, arriving late in February or early in March, and leaving in 

 October or November. In Central and Northern Sweden it is rare, but is commoner in the 



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south, and breeds on Oland and Gottland. It occurs as far north as in Angermanland. 

 Lowenhjelm says that one remained two winters at Quickjock, in Lapland; and Wolley once 

 (at least) saw it at Muonioniska in company with Hooded Crows. 



Writing on its occurrence in Finland, Professor Malmgren informs me that Mr. Casimir 



