ROOKS. 245 



sustained by their carrying off a few of such smaller 

 ones as they can conveniently grasp in their bills. 



Such are the depredations which may be fairly 

 laid to their account; but nevertheless we feel quite 

 certain, that on striking a fair balance, the advantage 

 will be in favour of preserving the Rooks, and that 

 if every nest were pulled to pieces, the farmers would 

 soon do all in theirpower to induce the old birds to re- 

 build them ; finding out, when too late, that their crops 

 might suffer the fate which befell an entire district in 

 Germany, and which was once nearly deprived of its 

 corn-harvest, by an order to kill the Rooks having 

 been generally obeyed; the immediate consequence 

 being an increase of grubs and their depredations. 

 For, allowing that the Rook may do an occasional 

 injury to the husbandman, it confers benefits in a 

 far greater proportion, and to an extent of which few 

 are aware. Some of our readers who live in the 

 .southern counties, know full well how the air, on a 

 Summer's evening, swarms with cockchaffers, and 

 other insects of the beetle-tribe ; but unless they are 

 naturalists, they do not know, that each of those cock- 

 chaflers or beetles has been living under-ground for 

 no less than from three to four years, in the form 

 of a large whitish grub, devouring incessantly the 

 tender roots of grasses, and every description of 

 grain; and that it is in search of them the Rooks flock 

 round the plough-share, and thrusting their bills into 

 the loosened earth, devour these ruinous root-eaters 

 by thousands and tens of thousands. So injurious 

 are they, indeed, in favourable seasons, that the sum 

 of twenty-five pounds was once allowed to a poor 

 farmer in Norfolk, as a compensation for his losses; 



