THE ROOK 51 



require to be more thoroughly worked out, and this must 

 not be lost sight of. 



I asked a tenant farmer in our own Midlands his views 

 on the subject of Rooks and the following, with some 

 slight editing of my own, was what he sent me. I give it 

 in full as although there may be some repetition of the 

 foregoing statements, it has special interest as coming 

 from one of our English farmers. 



A recent writer from the sportsman's point of view- 

 speaks of the Rook as " this black robber," and he says 

 that there is no practical difference of opinion as to the 

 question whether his benefits outweigh his depredations. 

 Now, as a farmer, I confidently affirm that he does much 

 more good than harm. He will sometimes uproot vege- 

 tables in getting at the worms round their roots. It is 

 true also that he often robs the nests of the pheasant and 

 the partridge ; but, as I could easily show, he does far 

 more good to the general community by furthering the 

 labours of agriculturists, on whom so much depends, 

 than harm to the sport of our leisured classes. 



A more social bird even than the gregarious starling, 

 he flies in flocks, feeds in flocks, and builds in flocks. 

 His everyday life may appear to be an uneventful one 

 to the outside world, and most commonplace; yet it is 

 full of adventure and of joy tempered with sorrows. 

 Apparently a grave bird, he is brimful of humour and, 

 at times, as full of play as a titmouse. Like all other 

 links in the seemingly endless chain of nature, he is the 

 victim of circumstances : without much ado he could 

 count up his sincere friends, but his enemies are beyond 

 his conception of numbers. 



From his winter homing quarters he comes with his 



