55' 



though rather unpleasing than otherwise when one bird alone is heard, yet the varied and some- 

 what confused cries uttered by a large flock are not disagreeable, and I have found when living 

 in a house close to a rookery that one becomes not only used to the clamour, but gets rather to 

 like the sound when not too loud. 



The young Rook has the base of the bill feathered, like the Carrion-Crow ; but the feathers 

 soon become worn away : I have observed, however, that in specimens where the bill is malformed, 

 so as to prevent the bird from digging in the ground, the feathers remain intact. I am indebted 

 to Mr. Alexander Brooke for the loan of a specimen with a peculiar misshapen bill, which has 

 the base of the beak nearly as densely feathered as in Corvus corone ; and, from the plumage, it 

 seems to be an old bird. 



The specimen figured is an adult British-killed bird, in my own collection, and is the bird 

 above described. 



In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens: — 



E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 



a, d . Pagham, Sussex, May 1st, 1872 (R. B. Sharpe). b,juv. Copenhagen, October 18th, 1870 (A. Bemon). 



E Mus. H. B. Tristram. 



a. Durham. b. Durham, March 6th, 1866. c. Durham, May 26th, 1865. d, d . Nablous, Palestine, 

 December 21st, 1863. e,f, d. Jerusalem, February 1864 (H. B. T.). 



E Mus. Howard Saunders. 

 a, d ■ Sparhani, Norfolk, January 29th. b, d . South Germany, April, c, 2 . Halle, a. S. 



E Mus. Alexander Brooke, 

 a, d. Brackley, Northampton, March 1873 (George Banner man) . 



