BIRD PESTS OF THE FARM. 379 



and would find their legitimate food in sufficient quantity for their 

 decreased numbers ; they would then neither have to steal the 

 farmers' grain, nor — having to search, as at present, long distances 

 for food — take such pains to find out nests of eggs on moors and 

 hedgerows." 



Continuing the discussion, Mr. Gilbert Millar, head-keeper to 

 Mr. Creswell, of Harehope Hall, Alnwick, writes :— " Seeing that 

 no one has corroborated Mr. Scott's article on the destruction of 

 game-eggs by Books, and as I have been a keeper on several large 

 estates both in England and Scotland, perhaps a few remarks from 

 me may not be out of place. Twenty-five or thirty years ago it 

 was a very rare thing to know a Eook take eggs ; but they have 

 turned gradually worse every year since then, and now they have 

 become a perfect pest and take all the early nests. Not one out 

 of every twenty early nests that I have known of this last few 

 years has escaped them ; and until the vegetation gets up there is 

 not any chance of escape. It is hardly possible to trap Carrion 

 Crows now, as you are almost certain to get a Eook instead. 

 I have never seen more Partridge nests in one season than I have 

 this, but not one escaped of the first laying that I knew of. The 

 result is that those that lay the second time do not lay so many 

 eggs, and a larger proportion gets destroyed in the hay-cutting 

 time, and thus affords little sport till October. Early Grouse- 

 nests on outlying moors have the best chance to escape, as the 

 Eooks, being then busy nesting themselves, do not travel so far 

 as they do at other times ; but whenever they are done nesting 

 they spread out, seeking fresh feeding-ground. Some people 

 think, because they see a Pheasant's nest in a rookery, that it is 

 conclusive proof that Eooks do not take eggs ; but they are safer 

 there than outside, as the Eooks never seem to look for them 

 under their own nests. Any good that a few people do trying to 

 put them down is hardly known, and not until landed proprietors 

 combine together to banish them from their rookeries will there 

 be any change for the better. Those seasons they are banished 

 from the rookeries they will do more damage on outlying grouse- 

 moors than they do at present." 



[We can fully confirm the statement that Rooks carry off Pheasants' 

 eggs, and a note of our observations on this subject, communicated some 

 years ago to Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier, was published by him in his work on 

 ' Pheasants, for Coverts and Aviaries,' 1873.— Ed.] 



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