ROOKS. 215 



This certainly would bear strongly against them, was 

 there nothing to be said in mitigation ; but it should be 

 remembered, that the above consumption is founded 

 upon the supposition, that Rooks lived entirely upon 

 grain, which, so far from being the case, is very much 

 the reverse ; for they prefer an insect diet, if not altoge- 

 ther, at least to a great extent. And even with respect 

 to grain, they will not willingly eat it, except in a parti- 

 cular state, preferring it when somewhat softened, and 

 more particularly during the time of its undergoing the 

 natural malting process, when it not only swells, but be- 

 comes soft, with an addition of about two-thirds of gum 

 and sugar to the small quantity it before contained. 

 During this critical time, the fresh-sown crop is un- 

 doubtedly in some peril, as well as a short time before 

 harvest, when the soft and sweet ears of green grain offer 

 irresistible temptation to a robbery, of which it is to be 

 feared they must be found guilty ; and no money can be 

 more profitably laid out, at such critical moments, than 

 the daily wages of a few boys, for the sole purpose of 

 frightening them away. 



Fresh-planted potatoes are also, for a time, in jeo- 

 pardy ; but when they have fairly sprouted, the Rook's 

 depredations are suspended till the season for digging 

 them up, when a trifling loss may be sustained by their 

 carrying off a few of such smaller ones as they can con- 

 veniently grasp in their bills. 



Such are the depredations which may be fairly laid to 

 their account ; but, nevertheless, we feel quite certain, 

 that on striking a fair balance, the advantage will be in 

 favour of preserving the Rooks, and that, if every nest 

 were pulled to pieces, the farmers would soon do all in 

 their power to induce the old birds to rebuild them; 

 finding out, when too late, that their crops might suffer 

 the fate which befell an entire district in Germany, and 

 which was once nearly deprived of its corn-harvest, by 

 an order to kill the Rooks having been generally obeyed, 

 the immediate consequence being an increase of grubs 



