WINGED VERMIN 303 



a very thick platform which often has for foundation the 

 old nest of crow or owl. 



THE HOODED CROW, Corvus comix, frequently termed 

 " grey-back," " grey crow," " Danish crow," etc., is merely 

 a winter visitor to England, but nests in Scotland, where 

 it effects considerable damage among red grouse, black 

 game and other game-birds. This bird is a most vora- 

 cious feeder, and by a judicious display of carrion or 

 other tempting food in the way of entrails, liver, and so 

 forth, it may generally be enticed so effectively as to be 

 captured by means of gun or trap. 



THE ROOK, Corvus frugilegus. Whether it is that 

 the fact has hitherto passed unnoticed which scarcely 

 seems likely or that it previously remained unchronicled, 

 I cannot say, but certain it is that until recent times 

 little has been said respecting the strongly-developed 

 egg-stealing tendency of the rook. Formerly it was the 

 farmer alone who grumbled at this bird's depredations ; 

 now, however, game-preservers in several districts are 

 up in arms against the rook, with the result that many a 

 rookery has had its numbers considerably reduced. By 

 reason of long usage through remote ages the rook has 

 established a thoroughly good claim to the hospitality 

 extended in granting it, for building purposes, the free 

 use of certain trees around the homestead. But, senti- 

 mental reasons aside, this hospitality is so frequently and 

 flagrantly abused that in self-defence one must now and 

 again take relentless measures for keeping the depreda- 

 tions of these creatures within due bounds. It may be 

 borne in mind by those who argue that the rook does 

 some good to the agriculturist by clearing off grubs, etc., 

 that even in this respect the pheasant will give the rook 

 a lot of start and a most thorough beating. Where, for 



