228 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



approach quite close before he flew away and joined 

 a flock of his companions in the next field, so that I 

 am quite sure of the fact that the bird was a Rook 

 and not a Crow. On going up to see what the Rook 

 had been feeding on, I found a young rabbit quite 

 warm and only just dead, but with part of the 

 entrails eaten. I cannot of course say that the 

 Rook actually killed the rabbit, but I think it 

 extremely probable, as the rabbit had been so 

 recently killed when I came up and drove the Rook 

 away. We may add sand-eels to the list of articles 

 forming the food of the Rook, as I have frequently 

 seen them at Teignmouth feeding with the Gulls on 

 sand-eels, especially just after the seine had been 

 drawn for these fish. Walnuts I know, to my cost, 

 form a large part of the food of the Rook during the 

 months of September and October." 



Since writing the above note I have been able to 

 confirm my assertion that the Rook eats sand-eels, 

 as I have often since then seen Rooks feeding on 

 sand-eels and sprats, and having sharp contentions 

 with the Gulls for them, and the Rooks generally 

 having the best of the fight. I have also since then 

 seen Rooks feeding on dead lamb and on horse-flesh, 

 and convicted them more than once of stealing both 

 young Wild Ducks and eggs ; the last occasion was 

 on a Sunday, so I could not shoot the Rook in the 

 act : on another occasion they destroyed so many of 

 my Wild Duck's eggs that at last I was obliged to 



