222 
RI5O07 3 Olk Crass If. 
This bird differs not greatly in its form from 
the carrion crow: the fize of the rook is fu- 
perior; but the colors in each are the fame, the 
plumage of both being gloffed with a rich purple. 
But what diftinguifhes the rook from the crow is 
- the bill; the noftrils, chin, and fides of that and 
the mouth being in old birds white and bared of 
feathers, by often thrufting the bill into the ground 
in fearch of the eruce of the Dor-beetle*; the 
rook then, inftead of being profcribed, fhould be 
treated as the farmer’s friend; as it clears his ground 
from caterpillars, that do incredible damage by eat- 
ing the roots of the corn. Rooks are fociable birds, 
living in vaft flocks: crows go only in pairs. They 
begin to build their nefts in March; one bringing 
materials, while the other watches the neft, left it 
fhould be plundered by its brethren: they lay the 
fame number of eggs as the crow, and of the 
fame color, but lefs. After the breeding feafon 
rooks forfake their neft-trees, and for fome time go 
and rooft elfewhere, but return to them in Auguft: 
in Ofober they repair their nefts +. 
* Scarabeus melolantha. Liz. fi. 351. Rofl, Il. Fab. 1. 
Lif. Goed, 265. 
+ Calendar of Flora. 
La 
