1401 The Zoologist— Octobek, 1868. 



vastly more prolific than those meant for other ends: this at once 

 points out their object in creation. Birds with dark unpalatable flesh 

 were evidently not intended at all for destruction by man : being loath- 

 some to him in this respect, he would not trouble to kill them, except 

 to decorate himself with their plumes, and limited death would amply 

 suffice for that: these birds chiefly destroy small birds and vermin, 

 carrion and insect life, and are true friends to man. There is another 

 class of birds relentlessly hated by man, — seed-eaters, — destroyers of 

 tens of thousands of weeds, at the same time destroyers of a small 

 amount of man's fruit and crops : most of these birds feed their young 

 on caterpillars, and thus at once counterbalance any harm they have 

 done: such are the vast races of the finch. The buntings and the 

 grosbeaks counteract none of their depredations by feeding their 

 young on insects, but amply do so by destroying the seeds of weeds. 

 It is only a Frenchman's appetite that can be gratified by devouring 

 small birds, quite useless, except in their own way — that of pleasing 

 man and devouring creatures, which, were it not for their aid, would 

 become perfect pests. These were not created to be killed, for their 

 numbers are never excessive — never increase to an unreasonable 

 extent. Rookeries uniting. — I have two good rookeries in my neigh- 

 bourhood, one at Loughlinstown, the other (much the smaller) at the 

 Hon. Mr. Talbot's, Ballinclea, Killiuey. What has always seemed 

 very strange to me is the juncture of these two rookeries in winter — 

 all roosting in the large rookery at Loughlinstown. In the autumn 

 the birds of each rookery, though associating during the day, sleep in 

 their own (apparently) rookery at night. Rooks of different rookeries 

 I have always understood to be most jealous and antagonistic to any 

 encroachments on their feudal rights, yet such does not seem the case 

 here. When both these rookeries join with their concomitant jack- 

 daws, they make one tremendous whole, I really believe of some 

 thousands. It is a grand sight to see them against a red winter 

 evening sky, wheeling and waving in mazy flight before settling down 

 to roost, the various cawings of the rooks aud the "jackings" of the 

 daws blending in one great strain of melody — speaking so straight to 

 the heart of innocence, peace and plenty, of domesticity and hus- 

 bandry. How often have I stopped my tandem, greatly to the annoy- 

 ance of my fidgety leader, and the sovereign contempt of my friend, 

 for one ten minutes to be in fancy among that kaleidoscopic mass; 

 yet it is almost a scene of every day to me — at all events of those 

 I spend on land; yet, mayhap, T enjoy that ten minutes far more than 



