Page:The Zoologist, 3rd series, vol 1 (1877).djvu/82

56 off the acorns, six or seven Rooks being often on the trees at a time, and occasionally quite a flock. On alighting on a branch a Rook seizes an acorn in its bill, and, if it is fast on and green, gives it a twist, and flapping its wings wrenches it off and flies away with it. I am of opinion that they eat the acorns, and do not carry them off to extract a worm, as Mr. Harting suggests, since I never found a maggot or worm in any of the acorns, though I have examined them with a knife over and over again. However, not having seen a Rook actually swallow an acorn, and not having shot any for the purpose of examination, I am unable to give direct and positive evidence as to the object of their attacks. I was always under the impression that the Rooks conveyed them away to some open field or exposed bank, as they do young potatoes, there to enjoy a meal without fear of being molested or disturbed, having at the same time something firm against which to peck the acorn or potato, as the case might be. Rooks, as a rule, do not swallow even small potatoes whole, but peck them in pieces. I was ignorant of the fact that the acorn has not been generally mentioned as the food of the Rook until Mr. Harting drew attention to it in 'The Zoologist.' There are several walnut trees not far from the oaks, but I never saw the Rooks on them, nor did they ever alight on the ground to pick up an acorn, but perhaps that may be accounted for by the trees being so near a dwelling house.— (Fassaroe, Bray, Co. Wicklow).

—Three years ago I heard that a specimen of this rare bird was killed in the meadows over here, but as I neither saw it myself nor learnt the name of the person who shot it, I considered the report doubtful. I am now able, however, to record a well-authenticated instance of its occurrence, a specimen having been shot on the 4th of September by a friend of mine. It was very much mutilated, but he gave it to me, and I spared no pains to make it a tolerable specimen. Messrs. Marshall and Stansell, of Taunton, came to see me the day it was killed, and they saw the bird in the flesh. Its weight was five ounces and a quarter, and the stomach contained two worm-like creatures, such as I believe I have seen upon the sea-shore—hence the bird could not have got them in this neighbourhood. The most noticeable characteristic about the appearance of this specimen is the white triangular markings on the outer web of many of the dark feathers on the wing-coverts and tail, which give them a scalloped looking outline; beside this the tail-feathers are barred very prettily with pale gray. The back is white, as well as the throat and cheeks—in fact, this colour extends to the top of the head, but is intersected by a conspicuous dusky streak which runs from the base of the upper mandible to the eye; crown of the head, back and sides of the neck, more or less gray; breast and belly white, dappled with shades of pale brown and gray. The bill is nearly two inches and a half long, and slender, of a dusky colour, except the base of the lower mandible, which is red.