270 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



and taking the drowning raven up in his mouth, laid him 

 gently on the ground, when he soon recovered." 



The Book. The Rook which is often confused with the 

 Carrion Crow is found in many parts of Europe and is 

 abundant in England, where it is common to see groups of 

 trees near gentlemen's houses given up to their occupancy. 

 Here they build their nests, rear their young, keep up an 

 incessant cawing, quarrel and make peace as do all other 

 large communities. If a new-comer appears among them, 

 he is generally received in a very rough manner. At New- 

 castle, a pair of rooks attempted to introduce themselves 

 into a rookery, but were so rudely treated, that, in high 

 dudgeon, they ascended to the steeple of one of the public 

 buildings, and built their nest on the vane. Here they lived 

 for several successive seasons, turning about with every change 

 of wind, and regardless of the busy scene in the town beneath. 

 The rook is gregarious, in which particular it differs from 

 the Carrion Crow which lives in pairs. Further differences 

 are found in the feathering of the head and neck of these 

 birds, that of the crow being much more completely covered 

 than that of the rook. The croak of the crow is, moreover, 

 much harsher than the caw of the rook. Like most, if not 

 all other birds and animals, the rook serves a useful purpose in 

 nature, in checking the multiplication of the worms and insects 

 which prey upon the crops; and doubtless were he able to 

 argue the question he would contend that helping the farmer 

 to produce his harvest he has a right to a share in it. 

 It is only when the rook in his turn gets too numerous that 

 he needs a similar check. 



The Carrion The Carrion Crow resembles the raven in ap- 

 Crow. pearance, but is about one third smaller in size. 

 It lives in pairs and is said to be a model of conjugal fidelity 

 and parental care. .Omnivorous in habit it appropriates all 

 kinds of food : insects, grain, eggs, fruit, nuts, mice, ducklings 

 and chickens, as well as such dead meat as may offer oppor- 



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