BIRD PESTS OF THE FARM. 375 



(1), the colour of the downy young varies; (2), that these Shear- 

 waters feed largely on shoals of fishes ; (3), that they can associate 

 with Gulls ; (4), that during the day they forage many miles from 

 their nesting-holes. It may be added that fine young birds and 

 half-incubated eggs may be found in July in the same colony, 

 suggesting that the birds do not all breed at the same time. 

 Recent notes support the contention that the young of this Shear- 

 water are white-breasted in first feather. Their capacity for 

 existing many hours without food is very remarkable, though it is 

 to be hoped that no modern naturalist would subject any birds of 

 this species to treatment such as that accorded to the examples 

 kept by Sir T. Browne, who, ceasing to supply them with fish, 

 " found they lived sixteen days without taking anything " (Sir T. 

 Browne's Works, ed. Bohn, vol. iii. p. 318). 



BIRD PESTS OF THE FARM. 



By H. H. Scott. 

 (Hrpsburn, Lesbury, Northumberland). 



Since I came to Northumberland, twenty-nine years ago, 

 Books have much increased in the district — apparently trebled 

 or quadrupled in numbers. They have altered to a considerable 

 degree their mode of feeding. There is an antiquated belief that 

 they live almost entirely on grubs and worms ; but now the food 

 of Books consists principally of cultivated crops. They first 

 swallow as much as the}' can find of the seed which is put into 

 the ground, and afterwards feed on the produce from such seed 

 as at first escaped them. Corn of all kinds and potatoes are 

 particularly liable to these depredations ; and in regard to turnips, 

 if the seed is so small that it is beyond their ability to gather it, 

 still — as soon as the bulbs are well developed, especially Swedes — 

 they are at work pecking holes in many more than they can eat, 

 and many rot from the effects of rain and frost. 



Books, having gradually increased beyond their natural food- 

 supply, were driven to other expedients to supply the deficiency; 

 and in addition to the farmers' crops, they found a convenient 

 and palatable supplement in the eggs of other birds, and it is 

 only twenty or thirty years since they became general stealers of 

 eggs. To such an extent are these thefts now carried that during 



