96 



CORVID.E. 



Continent, the result of wliich has been the opinion that far- 

 mers do wrong in destroying Rooks, Jays, SpaiTows, and, 

 indeed, birds in general, on their farms, particularly where 

 there are orchards. In our own country, on some very large 

 farms in Devonshire, the proprietors determined, a few sum- 

 mers ago, to try the result of offering a great reward for the 

 heads of Rooks ; but the issue proved destructive to the 

 farms, for nearly the whole of the crops failed for three suc- 

 cessive years, and they have since been forced to import 

 Rooks, and other birds, to restock their farms with." A 

 similar experiment was made a few years ago in a northern 

 county, particularly ,in reference to Rooks, but with no 

 better success ; the farmers were obliged to reinstate the 

 Rooks to save their crops. The subject was facetiously 

 commented upon in a pamphlet by James Stuart Menteath, 

 Esq. of Closeburn. 



The food of the Rook, as already shown, consists princi- 

 pally of worms and various sorts of insects, which, from the 

 numbers of the birds themselves, must be consumed to an 

 enormous extent. During the farmer's seed time, the new- 

 ly-sown grain requires to be watched to keep the Rooks 

 away ; they will also occasionally steal a few cherries, or 

 green walnuts, and in severe winters peck holes in tur- 

 nips or potatoes. There is reason to believe that the 

 visits of Rooks to turnips may be in some degree beneficial. 

 Farmers have suffered great injury of late years, particularly 

 in Hertfordshire and Essex, from the attack of a large brown 

 grub, the larva of a very common grey moth, called the corn 

 rustic, Agrotis segetum of entomologists ; from four to seven 

 of which I have known to be found eating their way into the 

 bulb of one turnip. 



The Rook inhabits wooded and cultivated districts. As 

 early in the year as the month of February these birds are 

 seen to visit their nests of the preceding year, which are 



