122 WILD NATURE IN STRATHEARN. 



Sir John Gilmour, Bart, in his inquiry con- 

 cerning the relation of certain birds to the agri- 

 cultural interests, as shown by their diet (Highland 

 and Agricultural Society's Transactions, 1896), 

 calls the Rook a " thieving rogue," and says : 

 " I was, I confess, in hopes that our particular 

 inquiries into the diet of the Rook would clearly 

 prove that, if not over-abundant, he might to a 

 considerable extent be a friend of the farmer. 

 Judging from the results of this special investi- 

 gation, as tabulated, I fear figures go badly 

 against him. The result of the present investi- 

 gation is to confirm me in the opinion I have 

 long held that Rooks in the enormous quantities 

 in which we have them in the County of Fife 

 do an immense amount of damage ; and I would 

 urge those who have the control of rookeries to 

 see that the numbers are kept within reasonable 

 limits. The gizzards of the 336 Rooks (a certain 

 number of which were shot every month of the 

 year) examined contained, besides grain, many 

 kinds of small ground Beetles (Geodophaga), 



