Lhe Rook. iyi 

the trees where the remains of their last year’s nests 
are, tells us the spring is again beginning its newness 
or iierand that, sm-a short time, we shall see-the 
country abounding with fresh beauties. The most 
remarkable -fact about this bird is its’ losing the 
feathers round its bill as far as the eyes from its first 
moulting. Although its habits of feeding are similar to 
those of many other birds, it has been supposed by some 
ornithologists that the constant searching for grubs 
wears off the feathers; but it is now conjectured to be 
the nature of permanent moulting. It feeds on corn, 
acorns, worms, slugs, beetles, and grubs of all kinds, 
Marticilary that which produces the chafer.. These 
birds frequent newly-tilled ground, where they find a 
sood supply of the food they so much like, and if 
they take a few grains of corn at that time, it is cer 
tain the good they do to the farmer, by finding these 
creatures that have been brought to the surface, fully 
repays their little pillage, for if the grubs were allowed 
to remain they would destroy much more grain than 
the Rook devours. This bird collects a lot of food 
in its throat for the purpose of feeding its young, not 
allowing it to pass into the-stomach; the projection 
made by it may easily be-séen, both when -on’ the 
ra 
dal 
