INSESSORES. 101 



wliicli lie thrusts into lier bill even when she accom- 

 panies him in search of it ; this I have repeatedly 

 witnessed. A very dry spring is fatal to young 

 Rooks, for the parents are in consequence unable to 

 provide the usual supply of food, and have to travel 

 long distances, and work very hard, to support their 

 families. This was verified so literally in the spring 

 of 1864, that in this and some adjoining parishes 

 the owners of Rookeries abstained from the annual 

 shooting in May, in consequence of the scarcity of 

 birds. 



So much has been written on the usefulness or 

 otherwise of the Rook, while the abundance of the 

 species so easily admits of an investigation of the 

 question by every one interested in it, that little 

 need be said here upon the subject. Although there 

 can be no doubt that grain, acorns, potatoes, turnips, 

 and fruit, with occasionally eggs and young birds, 

 are all in turn devoured by the Rooks, we should 

 not be too hasty in condemning them for this, but 

 should take into consideration the fact that, during 

 the year, they destroy innumerable quantities of 

 slugs, snails, worms, beetles, and grubs. And when 

 we reflect upon the ravages committed by a single 

 species (the wire-worm) which is greedily devoured 

 by Rooks, we can hardly fail to arrive at the con- 

 clusion that the amount of evil committed on the 

 one hand is counterbalanced by the good rendered 

 on the other. It is possible to be too lenient and 



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