THE ROOKS. 
5 
, n , A ?i Ult Femle.— Similar in colour to the male, but slightly 
tiii 6r ‘ Total length, 1 6 inches; culmen, 2-2 ; wing, 12-2; 
*» 7 '4; tarsus, 2-2. 
muriTf " Much duller in colour than the adult birds and 
feath gl 0 ss y- and distinguished at a glance by the 
by b 6 1 ’ aCe and nostrils > the latter being quite concealed 
hs^f ca ) n readily be understood that the young Rook, with 
tak p eat t - 6red face and feather-covered nostrils, may be rais- 
in si ° f j Carrion Crow {Co rone corone). The difference 
the , sbape °f the bill is not easily appreciated unless 
chaw? , ds can be com pared together, but there is luckily a 
fronin ■ wbicb a Rook at all ages may be distinguished 
of th a p n0n Cr0W at a11 ages ' 0n liftin S the body feathers 
' *ook, «t will be found that the bases of the latter are 
feath Whereas tbe Carrion Crow has white bases to the 
Considerable discussion has taken place as to the 
that th by Whlch the Rook gains i ts bare face. It is certain 
tuonlr y ? Ung blrds retain their fathered face after their first 
most « an i Carry tbrou gb their first winter ; and, though 
sprintr M iS o ee ™ t0 act i uire their bare face by the ensuing 
Muse.i - bervlce bas sent some specimens to the British 
birds !, hlch the face is onl >’ partially bared, though the 
arisen -f ^ cd in May and had bred. The question has 
face hv t0 wheth ? r the bir ds wear off these feathers of the 
food J C ? ntact w 'th the hard earth in which they seek tor 
leavi’n,, r r 7 he r 6r tbese f eatll crs of the face drop off naturally, 
latter k tif face bare ' Th ere can be little doubt that the 
season h le Ca f e ’. and many Rooks killed during the winter 
Scabrous ^ ! lelr faces b alf bare of feathers, the white 
Ran m beC ° ming a PP arent as the plumes fall off. 
not S f eat Britain — Nearly universally distributed, but 
The R 0 k- 3S breedin S in Shetland or the Outer Hebrides, 
together ' S t0 a certain extent migratory, and for a week 
the east VaSt numbers ma y be seen flocking into England by 
Parts of N aSI |’ COrning apparently from Scandinavia and other 
Jackdaws ° rtbe , rn Europe, in company with Hooded Crows, 
R ang ’ arUl Starlings. 
outbiae tile British islands. — Generally distributed and 
