138 A Plea for the Rooks. 



they were out in this bill," Such was Aubrey's opinion, and good 

 old Bewick 1 follows in the same strain, "They are useful in pre- 

 venting a too great increase of that destructive insect the chafer or 

 dor-beetle, and thereby make large recompense for the depredations 

 they may occasionally make on the corn-fields." The accurate 

 Selby says,^ "The rook has erroneously been viewed in the light of 

 an enemy by most husbandmen, and in several districts attempts 

 have been made either to banish it, or to extirpate the breed. But 

 wherever this measure has been carried into efiect, the most serious 

 injury to the corn and other crops has invariably followed, from 

 the unchecked devastations of the grub and caterpillar. As 

 experience is the sure test of utility, a change of conduct has in 

 consequence been partially adopted ; and some farmers now find 

 the encouragement of the breed of rooks to be greatly to their 

 interest, in freeing their land from the grubs of the cockchafer 

 (melolontha vulgaris) an insect very abundant iu many of the 

 southern counties. In Northumberland I have witnessed their use- 

 fulness in feeding on the larvae of the insect commonly known by 

 the name of 'Harry Longlegs' (Tipula oloracea) which is par- 

 ticularly destructive to the roots of grain and young clovers." So 

 far Selby : Yarrell (who is a host in himself), writes thus t^ " Early 

 in the morning rooks visit meadow-land while the grass is yet wet 

 with dew, to break their fast on worms and slugs, which the 

 moisture of that period induces to crawl forth. Later in the day, 

 they may be seen either searching newly ploughed ground for the 

 various insects there exposed, or again visiting pastures for other 

 purposes. There they are accused of destroying the grass by 

 pulling it up by the roots ; but it has been stated and I believe 

 truly, that this is an error arising out of the following circumstance: 

 In searching for grubs which are concealed in the earth, and 

 supported by eating the roots of the grass, the rook pulls at the 

 blade of grass with its bill, and when the grass comes up readily, 

 the bird knows that there are under it insects which have destroyed 



1 Bewick's Birds, i. p. 72. 



» Selby'g Illustrations of British Ornithology, vol. i., p. 353. 



» Yarrell'i Britisli Birds, vol. ii., p. 94. 



