I 2 Beal, Food of European Birds. \_f^^ 



country replacing the Alclolfliitha of Europe. It is in the next two 

 items, the weevils, that the Rook shines resplendent. An average 

 of over thirteen specimens of those small but very harmful beetles 

 in each of the 131 stomachs is certainly a splendid showing. It 

 is singular that none of these insects were eaten by the Rooks 

 taken in Scotland. Wfiile many of these beetles were eaten by 

 the Crow, they do not constitute so constant and important an 

 item as in the case of the Rook. The Crow eats a considerable 

 number of Carabid beetles, most of which are of the more pre- 

 daceous species, while those eaten by the Rook are, for the chief 

 part, the larvae of Zabrtis gibbus, a very destructive grain-eating 

 species. Grasshoppers, which are extensively taken by the Crow, 

 are conspicuously absent from the food of the Rook. 



In the varieties of vertebrates eaten, the Rook is far behind the 

 Crow. Only seventeen mice were found in the 131 stomachs taken 

 in Germany, and none in those collected in Scotland. In no case 

 did any stomach contain the remains of more than one. The 

 Crow, on the other hand, not only preys upon mice and other 

 small mammals but even captures young rabbits, and eats many 

 snakes, young turtles, salamanders, frogs, toads and fish. The 

 Crow also eats many crayfish and other smaller crustaceans which 

 do not appear in the Rook's bill of fare. 



In the matter of vegetable food the Rook does not seem to 

 indulge in any great variety. It does, however, eat some potatoes, 

 which the Crow rarely touches. The Crow eats about every kind 

 of grain that the country produces, besides fruit and acorns or 

 other mast. It appears to be far more omnivorous than the 

 Rook ; in fact, it seems doubtful if there is anything eatable which 

 a Crow will not eat, while, so far as shown, the Rook is quite 

 exclusive. 



In Mr. Gilmour's investigation of the food of the Wood Pigeon 

 245 stomachs were examined. They were quite evenly distributed 

 through the year, but, like the Rooks, were all taken within a 

 limited area. The contents of these stomachs are arranged in five 

 groups, which, taken in the order of frequency, are as follows : 

 (i) Cereal grains; (2) leaves; (3) other fruits and seeds; (4) 

 roots; (5) flowers. Cereal grains were taken to the extent of 33 

 per cent of the year's food, by Mr. Gilmour's method of calcula- 



