List of Birds Examined. 53 



Conclusion. 



Apart from the question of game, the mapgie is a bird that is 

 beneficial to the agriculturist, feeding, as it does, largely upon soil 

 larvae and beetles, whilst it destroys field mice, voles, blackbirds 

 and wood-pigeons. 



JACKDAW. 



Corvus monedula, Linn. 



Curious as it may seem we have very little detailed information 

 as to the exact nature of the food of this interesting bird. 



The following extracts from a series of reports on this bird will 

 illustrate the strange diversity of opinion. 



i. " From the farmers' standpoint this is decidedly a bene- 

 ficial bird, and I should not recommend its destruction at all." 



ii. "Far too many of these birds, which do considerable 

 damage to the eggs of game birds." 



iii. " Certainly injurious to orchards and game eggs, 

 should welcome a considerable decrease in their numbers." 



iv. "Destructive to peas, grain crops and far too 

 numerous." 



Archibald (6) states: "Jackdaws eat a quantity of snails and 

 insects, but they are very mischievous, devouring eggs, young 

 birds, corn and fruit." 



Hooper (68) remarks that it "does little injury to fruit, is 

 partial to cherries, destroys many insects, including wireworms." 



Theobald (109) writes: " is a great wireworm and insect des- 

 troyer, and if it does a little injury to cherries and other fruit 

 in dry seasons, and takes a few eggs and now and then fowl's food, 

 it nevertheless must be looked upon as beneficial, as far as evidence 

 goes at present." 



Newstead (92) examined the stomach contents of eleven 

 specimens, his summary is as follows: " 7 contained insects of the 

 injurious group; 1, beneficial group; 4, indifferent group; 7, wheat 

 and oat glumes; 1, potato; 1, mollusc; 2, sheep's wool." 



