228 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
approach quite close before he flew away and joined 
a flock of his companions in the next field, so that I 
am quite sure of the fact that the bird was a Rook 
and not a Crow. On going up to see what the Rook 
had been feeding on, I found a young rabbit quite 
warm and only just dead, but with part of the 
entrails eaten. JI cannot of course say that the 
Rook actually killed the rabbit, but I think it 
extremely probable, as the rabbit had been so 
recently killed when I came up and drove the Rook 
away. We may add sand-eels to the list of articles 
forming the food of the Rook, as I have frequently 
seen them at Teignmouth feeding with the Gulls on 
sand-eels, especially just after the seine had been 
drawn for these fish. Walnuts I know, to my cost, 
form a large part of the food of the Rook during the 
months of September and October.” 
Since writing the above note I have been able to 
confirm my assertion that the Rook eats sand-eels, 
as I have often since then seen Rooks feeding on 
sand-eels and sprats, aud having sharp contentions 
with the Gulls for them, and the Rooks generally 
having the best of the fight. I have also since then 
seen Rooks feeding on dead lamb and on horse-flesh, 
and convicted them more than once of stealing both 
young Wild Ducks and eggs; the last occasion was. 
on a Sunday, so I could not shoot the Rook in the 
act: on another occasion they destroyed so many of 
my Wild Duck’s eggs that at last I was obliged to 
