84 



Krfectly worthless, never more than a few pairs of 

 rren birds being found there. 



I have never myself detected them doing much 

 damage to game in England, though I have been 

 assured by shepherds and keepers that they 

 occasionally manage to search out the early 

 Partridge nests on the downs in the south. 



Numbers of these birds arrive from the north 

 of Europe in the autumn ; I have repeatedly met 

 with large flocks daring the month of October, 

 when on their passage. Several times after a gale 

 at that period, I have seen these birds floating either 

 dead or dying on the water, not having had strength 

 sufficient to complete their journey. 



The specimens in the case were shot at Offham 

 Chalk Pit near Lewes in Sussex in March, 1872. 



ROOK. 

 Case 102. 



This is one of our most familiar British birds. 

 Opinions differ as to whether the Rook is beneficial 

 at all seasons to the farmer and the game-preserver. 

 I am, however, satisfied that the injury it occasion- 

 ally inflicts on the crops is amply atoned for by the 

 assistance it renders in ridding the ground of worms 

 and grubs. On the other hand there can be no 

 denying the fact that a nest of eggs in an exposed 

 situation will be as readily destroyed by a Rook as 

 by that well-known robber the Crow. 



I have, when fishing and shooting in the North 

 Sea during October, often met with large flocks of 

 Rooks on their way to this country. It was seldom 

 that they flew in straggling parties like the Grey 

 Crows ; those that were seen singly appearing to 

 to have fallen out from the ranks through fatigue. 

 After a gale of wind from the south-west I have 

 seen several floating dead on the water between 

 twenty and thirty miles off" the land. I have also 



