Birds. 631 



come so, and the bird itself presented the same appearance as it did 

 before its first autumnal moult, with the exception of a glossy purple 

 tint on the head, back and shoulders, which had gradually succeeded 

 to the more sombre hue of the nestling plumage. 



The result of this experiment would, perhaps, be sufficient to set 

 the question at rest for ever ; but before I quit the subject, I will add 

 a few observations on the habits of the rook in a state of nature, which 

 bear more particularly on this portion of its history, and will, I trust, 

 serve to convince the few who may even yet continue incredulous. 



Every observer who has resided in the neighbourhood of a large 

 rookery, must have noticed the number of young birds which conti- 

 nue in company with the old ones for many months after they have 

 left the nest. The notion that the former finally shed the nasal bris- 

 tles, and the feathers on the throat at the first autumnal moult, T have 

 shown to be erroneous. While investigating this subject during the 

 last two years I have constantly made use of a good spyglass (a more 

 valuable auxiliary, by the way, to the field naturalist, than even the 

 favourite fowling-piece), and when examining detachments of rooks 

 during September and October, either when feeding together during 

 the day in the stubbles and meadows, or when congregated in the 

 evening in immense numbers on the tall trees in the park, I have 

 found that there were quite as many young birds among them at that 

 period as during July and August. As winter approaches and provi- 

 sions become scarce and more difficult to procure, I am of opinion 

 that many of these are driven away from their native haunts by the 

 older birds, or, obedient to a general law of Nature, which forbids lo- 

 cal accumulation, migrate during the early spring to other parts of the 

 country, and fill up the ranks that have become deficient in distant 

 rookeries, whether caused by famine, disease, or the annual persecu- 

 tion of man. 



In the winter and early spring, when rooks assemble in considera- 

 ble numbers on extensive pastures, after heavy falls of rain, to feast 

 on the myriads of worms that have risen to the surface of the ground, 

 I have had many opportunities of leisurely examining them, and have 

 observed, that (on an average) about one in eight or ten was a bird of 

 the year ; that is to say, its appearance at a distance was nearly simi- 

 lar to that of the carrion crow, which bird, as far as my experience 

 goes, never, under any circumstances, associates with the rook. To 

 satisfy myself on this subject, I have, after some difficulty, rooks be- 

 ing very shy at this season, occasionally succeeded in shooting one of 

 these crow-like birds, which invariably tnrned out to be a r >ok of the 



