44 2 Practical Game Preserving. 



make known the destructive tendency of multifarious rooks 

 in and about game coverts and preserves. Our aim is to 

 instruct, if we may so hope, the amateur game preserver, 

 and we have offered this lengthy description with a view 

 to laying before our readers the facts relating to the habits 

 of the rook, and, inasmuch as great diversity of opinion 

 exists as to whether this bird is vermin or not, we leave 

 those interested to form their opinion. No one can say 

 the rook never touches game. Those who say so will pro- 

 bably be compelled to allow that they mean "not often/' 

 which conceded, we then, disputing the " benefits received/' 

 assert that, far from having an occasional fancy, the rook 

 has a decided penchant for young rabbits and game birds ; 

 not quite so decided, perhaps, as the crow, but sufficient to 

 keep it active in search of such young birds and ground 

 game as may be obtainable. Far from being rare, it is our 

 opinion, based on observation, that it is a very common 

 almost everyday occurrence for rabbits and partridges, 

 where they exist, to fall victims to the rapacity of the 

 frugivorous crow. We have seen this so often that we can 

 scarcely credit statements, made by those who ought to 

 know, concerning the utter harmlessness of the rook in 

 respect of game. 



The rook is very mischievous during nesting time to 

 partridges and pheasants, and these game birds must add 

 its name to the list of birds and animals at all times eager, 

 when the chance offers, to despoil their nests and feast upon 

 the eggs. Not that the rook is a determined searcher after 

 these, although this exceptional conduct sometimes occurs ; 

 but it takes them only when, whilst in search of other and 



