92 GAME rKESERYEES AND BIRD PEESERVERS. 



hanged in order that sheep should not be stolen. 

 We kill these birds in order that eggs should 

 not be stolen, and believe we do a rational 

 action and a kind action to the many that 

 depend on us for protection. We believe in 

 the Communistic theory, ' the greatest happiness 

 of the greatest number,' and do not doubt that 

 fifty birds live for each crow, magpie, and jay 

 which our keepers destroy. 



We must own we once opened the crops of 

 some full-fledged young hoodies, and found them 

 full of insects, principally beetles. But then 

 their ancestors had eaten eggs for so many 

 years in that country that there were no 

 birds left to lay any within three miles of their 

 nest. 



A most serious charQ:e is broucyht as^ainst 

 the rook by Mr. Scot Skirving. He states 

 that they ' eat more game eggs than all other 

 birds on eartli. I have picked up as many 

 partridge eggs under a rookery as would fill 

 my hat. Every year we get six or eight 



