IOO WILD NATURE IN STRATHEARN. 



tares, beech masts, wild cherries, and haws ; 

 December, grain and beech nuts. In the crop 

 of one bird 102 beech masts and 3 beans were 

 found. The conclusion Sir John arrived at 

 from this investigation, in which he was assisted 

 by that eminent botanist, Professor M' Alpine, 

 was that "the character of the Wood Pigeon 

 (the numbers of which had largely increased of 

 late years) does not improve, but that his destruc- 

 tion of clover and grain far outweighs any benefit 

 he may effect." 



But for all that the cushat has some redeem- 

 ing qualities. He is, unlike the rook, of some 

 value when dead, and he does not live always 

 on corn and clovers. " An agricultural friend of 

 mine," says St John in his " Wild Sports of the 

 Scottish Highlands," " who had yielded with a 

 tolerably good grace to my arguments in favour 

 of the rook, pointed out to me an immense 

 flock of wood pigeons busily at work on a field 

 of young clover, which had been under barley 

 the last season. 'There,' he said, 'you constantly 



