ROOK. 75 



A volume might be written on the instinct and habits of 

 Rooks, their inteUigence, their prejudices, and their mode of 

 government, as shown by a close study of their proceedings. It 

 must suffice, however, now, simply to arraign their character, and 

 endeavour to show, whether they are beneficial or injurious to 

 mankind. The interest and pleasure afforded by a rookery far 

 outweighs any injury they may be supposed to do to the trees, or to 

 persons walking beneath them ; and the inquiry, therefore, confines 

 itself to the food they eat, and their dealings with agriculture. 



M. Prevost from the examination of the crops of many birds 

 killed at all seasons of the year, gives the following result of 

 his observations as to the food of the Rook : " January, field 

 mice and grubs of cockchafers ; February, the same, with red 

 worms; March, larvae of insects and chrysalides; April, slugs, worms, 

 and chrysalides; May, beetles, larvae, prawns, and wire-worms; June, 

 cockchafers, eggs of birds and wood-boring beetles ; July, young 

 birds, beetles, &c.; August, birds, field mice, weevils, grasshoppers, 

 crickets, &c.; September, grubs and worms ; October, grasshoppers,, 

 ground beetles and young animals ; November, young rabbits, 

 different insects and grubs ; December, different animals and 

 decaying substances." M. Prevost clearly respected the Rooks 

 during the breeding season, or he would certainly have detected 

 the corn with which they are so fond of feeding their young ones ; 

 and the rabbit named in the catalogue too was probably an 

 exceptional article of diet. 



The food of the Rook will vary according to the season. 

 In dry weather when slugs, snails, and worms are scarce, they 

 will take any eggs they can meet with, whether of ducks, poultry, 

 game, or even those of small birds. It is equally ready for 

 its shate of carrion, from a dead mouse or rat, to the body 

 of a sheep or horse. In the spring it takes the seed corn 

 freely ; it will also take the ripe corn from the sheaves, and 

 sometimes potatoes when newly planted or when the young 

 potatoes are formed. The Rook will also eat acorns, walnuts, 

 beechmast, and wild berries ; and in dry weather, too, it will take 



