NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOAV. 293 



the grey markings become permanent. See " Birds of the West 

 of Scotland," where the question of unity is more fully dwelt upon. 



The Rook {Corvus fnigUegus). 



Abundant. Recent discussions in agricultural quarters have 

 placed this bird in a somewhat doubtful position. That rooks 

 commit mischief cannot, we think, be called in question; but that 

 they also do great service, in devouring noxious larvae and other 

 farm insect-pests, is equally true. The c^uestion is, on which side 

 does their daily habit preponderate "I The following fact, commu- 

 nicated to an Edinburgh newspaper during a late controversy on 

 this point, seems to show that their appearance on newly-sown 

 fields is not necessarily associated Avith bird damages:— "I put a 

 boy," says the writer, " to keep them off a field of six acres sown 

 with wheat in October. The season was wet and cold, so tlie boy 

 got under a tree in the corner, made his little fire, and enjoyed 

 himself. So did the rooks on every part of the field except that 

 within stone-throw of the corner. In this portion of the field the 

 wheat was wretched ; but wherever the rooks had eaten up the 

 slug or the wire-worm, the crop was plentiful." 



The Jackdaw (Corvus monediUa). 



Very abundant in both counties, frequenting old castles, rook- 

 eries, and rocky headlands, such as the Mull of Galloway and Bur- 

 row Head. In both the last-named localities it is feared that it has 

 been the means of nearly exterminating the chough. Dr Ander- 

 son shot a specimen which had its mandibles crossed like those of 

 a loxia. The bird is now in tlie University Museum, Glasgow. 



The Magpie (Pica caudata). 



This beautiful bird has of late years been very much shot down 

 in game-preserving quarters. We were lately interested in observ- 

 ing as many as twelve or fourteen magpies, on the farm of Little- 

 ton, near Girvan, where no keeper had been employed for some 

 years. These birds kept strictly within the limits of their asylum. 

 We Lcive been informed, however, that a few weeks ago the keeper 

 on the surrounding estate (Culzean), invaded their sanctuary, and 



shot several birds after having destroyed the nests. 



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