POLICY AND PROTECTION 



extent. Two years ago, during the great drought, 

 they destroyed thousands, especially partridge eggs — 

 as though they were in search of food with moisture 

 in it, or were short of some supply, probably of insect 

 nourishment, which would be more plentiful in a 

 wetter season. 



But serious as these spasmodic inroads are on the 

 part of the rooks, for^they do not seem to trespass regu- 

 larly, I think one should hesitate before destroying a 

 rookery, one of the most interesting and picturesque 

 features of the country, and one which holds an un- 

 doubted place in the balance of nature. Hen pheasants 

 will in most seasons bring out their broods safely right 

 under the trees of the rookery, and they no doubt 

 thrive on the morsels of food dropped by their black 

 neighbours while feeding their young. 



To destroy weasels, stoats, cats, and last, but not 

 least, stray dogs which have taken regularly to poach- 

 ing, is, of course, an elementary part of the keeper's 

 business. But it may be noted that payment to your 

 keepers per head of vermin destroyed is a bad system, 

 open to fraud and abuse. If practised at all it should 

 be only during the nesting and hatching season, say 

 from April to August. 



Rats are an expensive and troublesome kind of 

 vermin ; expensive because they devour in these days 



