4 
allen’s naturalist’s library 
powerful feet and claws, with every scale distinctly indicated. 
The Crows, therefore, have a right to be placed at the 
head of the Oscines, in preference to the Thrushes, which 
excel them only in singing, beauty of voice being a feature to 
which the Crows can lay no claim. It should be added that 
nearly all the Crows are “ Ambulatores ” or “ Walkers,” that is 
to say, they do not hop. Many of them throw up pellets 
after the manner of the Owls. 
THE TRUE CROWS. SUB-FAMILY CORVIN^E. 
THE ROOKS. GENUS TRYPANOCORAX. 
Trypanocorax , Sundev. Av. Meth. Tent., p. 43 (1872). 
Type, T. frugilegus (Linn.). 
Distinguished from all the other Corvidce by having the 
forehead and sides of face bare, and covered with a white 
scabrous skin. This is peculiar to the adult birds only, and 
is found in both male and female. The bill is more slender 
and lengthened than in any other of the British Crows. 
There are only two species of true Rook in the world, one 
being the Common Rook of Europe, which extends eastwards 
as far as Central Asia, and the other the Chinese Rook 
( Trypanocorax pastinator), which takes its place in Eastern 
Siberia, Japan, and China. 
THE ROOK. TRYPANOCORAX FRUGILEGUS. 
Corvus frugilegus , Linn., S. N., i., p. 156 (1766); Macg., 
Br. B., i., p. 535 ; Seeb., Hist. Brit. B., i., p. 549, pi. 16, 
fig. 6; Dresser, B. Eur., iv., p. 551, pi. 264; Newt. ed. j 
Yarr. Br. B., i., p. 289 ; Saunders, Man. Br. B., p. 237. 
Trypanocorax frugilegus (L.), Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus., iii., 
p. 9 ( i8 77 )- 
Adult Male — Black, with a gloss of rich purple on the head 
and neck ; sides of face greenish; wing-coverts like the back; 
wings and tail black, with a green or purple gloss; under 
surface of body black, with a purple gloss, the throat with 
a steel-blue gloss ; bill and feet black ; iris dark brown. 
Total length, 17 inches; bill, 2-25; wing, 12-4; tail, 7-5 7 
tarsus, 2 '2. 
