POPULAR SCIENCE 271 



3 in December, and 3*5 in January. In no month is the per- 

 centage high, and seeing that 3-5, 3, and 3*5 per cent, were 

 obtained in November, December, and January respectively, 

 and the highest percentage is only 4 per cent, in September, 

 the actual amount of grain stolen from the corn crop must be 

 exceedingly small. Of the remaining vegetable matter the 

 leaves, fruits, and seeds of weeds which constitute 417 per cent, 

 need no comment, and the bulk of the roots and stems belong 

 almost wholly to those of two weeds, viz. the Bulbous Crowfoot 

 (Ranunculus bulbosus) and tubers of the Lesser Celandine 

 (R. ficaria). There remains therefore the miscellaneous veget- 

 able matter, the average total of which constitutes 16*1 per cent. 

 of the total food. "Was this farm produce?" or "Did 

 microscopical examination show any trace of mangolds, turnips, 

 beet, or other crops ? " During the whole of the six years we 

 have been engaged upon this investigation we have failed to 

 find any trace of such. The bulk of this miscellaneous vegetable 

 matter was grass, and the remainder fragments of leaves, but 

 of what plants it is impossible to say. 



Now, supposing that we had no contra account to show on 

 our balance-sheet, the above record scarcely warrants the 

 assertion that the damage done by this species " is too serious 

 to be overlooked," or that it is " the source of much damage." 



No farmer will begrudge these birds their 44' 1 per cent, of 

 weeds, but we find that they also consume 23*4 per cent, of 

 injurious insects (of which, in many parts of the country, 

 wireworms and leather-jackets form a large proportion), and 

 the beneficial and neutral species that they destroy are scarcely 

 worthy of mention. Of earthworms, 87 per cent, are eaten, 

 and 2*8 per cent, of slugs. 



In face of this record, it is impossible for any one who is 

 concerned only in arriving at the truth to condemn this bird. 

 From the standpoint of the agriculturist it is one of the most 

 beneficial species we have. 



We do not for a moment contend that pheasants never do 

 any damage ; there must be plenty of isolated cases in which 

 considerable damage has been done, but these are the exception, 

 and must not be allowed to prejudice the mind against pheasants 

 generally, as if such habits were natural to all birds of this 

 species. We must try and look at the matter in a fair manner. 

 The above average percentages are not obtained from isolated 



