Rooks and Rookeries. By James Small. 181 



new grass or clover, feed not on the clover but on the grubs to be found on 

 the roots of the plants. They dig up potatoes in dry summer months." 



Mr Thomas Arkle, Highlaws, Morpeth : 



" Eats grubs when attainable, otherwise corn, also bulbs of turnips, and 

 rarely eggs." 



Eev. A. Proctor, Alwlnton Vicarage, Morpeth : 



"Rookery of Biddleston destroyed because of the destruction of pheasant 

 eggs." 



Mr 0. Eea of Doddington, Wooler : 



" Eat chiefly worms, grubs, &c. In hard weather will eat turnips and 

 clover. Do not prey on eggs of game." 



Mr J. Oraster, Craster Tower : 



" Eat generally worms, grub, and corn. Eat potatoes, and eggs of game 

 birds and plovers." 



Mr 0. F. J. Thompson, Kirknewton House, Wooler : 



" Live on com and grub. Shepherd told me the other day that they eat 

 nearly as many turnips as the sheep — this in hard weather. Eat eggs of all 

 kinds, also young birds. Sometimes tear out sheep's eyes before they are 

 quite dead. They are now worse than the carrion crow for attacking sheep." 



Eev. W. I. Megglson, South Charlton Yicarage, Chathill : 



" In autumn and early winter months they feed chiefly on grain : in spring 

 on worms and grubs. In breeding time on flesh, and will carry off eggs, 

 chickens, ducks, game, and newly-dropped lambs. Destructive on potatoes 

 and turnips, but the latter always a grub at the root and were of no value. 

 They tear up young clover to get at the larvse." 



Mr J. Ellison, Hulne Park, Alnwick : 



" Insects, worms, slugs, grain, turnips. Also eggs and young pheasants in 

 dry weather." 



Mr J. Lovat, keeper, Keilder Castle : 



"In hard weather eat bulbs of turnips and clover. Game eggs, very much 

 more so in dry seasons. Do not know that they injure young birds or lambs." 



ROXBUEGHSHIRE. 



Major Fair, Over Wells, Jedburgh : 



" All my information tends to convict rooks as destructive to game, both 

 eggs and young birds. The claims of their own young demand of them to 

 seize anything that can pass muster as food. There is no surer bait for a rook 

 than an egg. They also in hard or dry weather are destructive to turnips, 

 dabbing holes in the bulb ; and they are very destructive to barley on a bare 

 knowe. I think they eat roots of clover ; and they pull up young turnips in 

 search of wire worm." 



Mr T. Morrison, keeper, Sprouston, Kelso : 



' ' Eat turnips, and eggs and young of game birds : also young hares and 

 rabbits. I once saw a hare at the side of a field driving off two hooded crows, 

 as I thought, and I got within range and shot the birds which turned out to 

 be rooks. I then found two small leverets sitting in a hole made by a horse's 

 foot. This was a case of the old hare defending her young against the rooks." 



