BIRDS IN THE CALENDAR 



in an increasingly practical age, which may 

 at any moment put sentiment on one side 

 and decree for it the fate that is already over- 

 taking its big cousin the raven. Scotch 

 farmers have long turned their thumbs down 

 and regarded rooks as food for the gun, but 

 in South Britain the bird's apologists have 

 hitherto been able to hold their own and avert 

 catastrophe from their favourite. The evidence 

 is conflicting. On the one hand, it seems un- 

 deniable that the rook eats grain and potato 

 shoots. It also snaps young twigs off the trees 

 and may, like the jay and magpie, destroy the 

 eggs of game-birds. On the other hand, parti- 

 cularly during the weeks when it is feeding its 

 nestlings, it admittedly devours quantities of 

 wireworms, leathergrubs, and weevils, as well 

 as of couch grass and other noxious weeds, 

 while some of its favourite dainties, such as 

 thistles, walnuts, and acorns, will hardly be 

 grudged at any time. It is not an easy matter 

 to decide ; and, if the rook is to be spared, 

 economy must be tempered with sentiment, hi 

 which case the evidence will perhaps be found 

 to justify a verdict of guilty, with a strong 

 recommendation to mercy. 

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