190 
NATURAL HISTORY 
ceives no signs of such a banquet, he contents himself 
with more unsavoury food, as fruits, insects, fkc. 
The female usually builds her nest in high trees, and 
lays five or six eggs of a pale green colour, marked with 
small brownish spots. She sits about twenty days, and 
her perseverance in the task of incubation is sometimes 
peculiarly worthy of observation. When taken under 
human protection, the raven may be trained up for al- 
most any purpose to which a bird can be converted; he 
may be taught to fetch and carry like a dog, to speak like 
a parrot, or even to sing like a man. 
Carrion Crow. (Vultur Atratus. Lath. P1.29.) This 
bird is less than the raven, but similar to it in its habits, 
colour, and external appearance. It is about eighteen 
inches in length; its breadth above two feet. Birds of 
this kind are more numerous and as widely spread as the 
raven; they live mostly in woods, and build their nests 
on trees: the female lays five or six eggs much like those 
of a raven. They feed on putrid flesh of all sorts; like- 
wise on eggs, worms, insects, and various sorts of grain. 
They live together in pairs, and remain in England dur- 
ing the whole year. 
Rook. (PI. 29.) The rook is about the size of the 
carrion crow, and, excepting its more glossy plumage, 
very much resembles it. The base of the bill and nos- 
trils, as far as the eyes, is covered with a rough scabrous 
skin, in which it differs from all the rest, occasioned, it 
is said, by thrusting its bill into the earth in search of 
worms; but as the same appearance has been observed 
in such as have been brought up tame and unaccustomed 
to that mode of subsistence, we are inclined to consider 
it an original peculiarity. W e have already had occasion 
to observe that they are useful in preventing a too great 
increase of that destructive insect the chafer or dor-bee- 
tle, and thereby make large recompense for the depreda- 
tions they may occasionally commit on the corn-fields. 
Rooks are gregarious, and fly in immense flocks at morn- 
ing and evening to and from their roosting places in 
quest of food. During the breeding time they live to- 
gether in large societies, and build their nests on trees 
