NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
99 
Rooks. — Can any reader furnish me with information as to the indigenous 
character of the rook? I read that /Kneas Sylvius, afterwards Pope Pius II., 
visiting Britain in 1453 says, that rooks had been recently introduced, and that 
the trees on which they roosted and built belonged to the King’s Exchequer. 
Jerome Cardan, who came to Scotland and England in 1552, alludes, in his De 
Suhtililate, to the war of extermination waged against these birds to check their 
inordinate breeding. — E d. N.N. 
The Toad. — I have kept a toad in a conservatory since last August, and not 
only did he bury himself for his winter’s sleep, but since February when he woke 
up, he has buried himself completely every evening, except for a small breathing 
hole, which is generally hidden by a dead leaf placed over it apparently to pre- 
vent discovery. On Sunday morning, April 2, soon after he had emerged from 
his hole, I noticed that one side of his Irack seemed much brighter than the other, 
and on close examination I found I had caught him in the act of changing his 
skin. The right hind leg and side were alieady in new appaiel, and the process 
of changing had begun with the left hind leg as well. By contortions of the body 
the skin was brought down in loose folds over the foot, which was then thrust 
forward under the left forearm, and the hind leg being drawn back the skin was 
pulled off inside out like a glove. .After a short period of resting, the skin of 
the lelt forearm was loosened from the body by more contortions, and then seized 
by the mouth and gr.idually drawn off. .As it came oft it was thrust into the 
mouth by the other hand bit by bit, till the left hand was free, vs’hen the whole 
was swallowed, with apparently some difficulty, taking about five minutes. After 
another rest the right loot was dealt with in the same manner and the skin of 
that side swallowed. In neither case was the skin rollerl up fii.st as is usually 
stated, but it was pushed into the mouth as it was stripped off. During the whole 
process he protruded and retracted his eyes, and afterwards climbed up on the 
window and sat in the sunshine for about two hours. 
Chesterton, Bicester , Oxon. G. C. Hughes. 
What is a Finnock ? — This question has recently been taxing the legal 
acumen of the Sheriffs Court in .Aberdeen. It seems to be admitted that “fin- 
nock” is the Scotlish equivalent for the English “ whirling”; but, while the 
Fishery Inspector asserted that it is only the young state of the sea trout (Salmo 
trutta ), the anglers claim that it is a distinct species. The sheriff took refuge, 
like Sir Roger de Coverley, in that convenient verdict “ not proven.” — Eu. N.N. 
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