2562 Birds. 



cannot keep off the rooks, as is sometimes the case, which settle down 

 upon it in spite of all his shouts and manoeuvres to affright them, de- 

 pend upon it, the birds come for something more than the corn. If, 

 again, the corn comes up weak and patchy, and the birds manifest a 

 disposition to settle on those parts, it is a sure indication that insects 

 are lurking at the roots. In the spring of 1846 we sowed a field with 

 barley, and when it was just appearing it was quite pestered with 

 rooks, which seemed determined to stub it up in spite of every effort 

 to keep them off*. I soon discovered the cause : the field literally 

 swarmed with short, thick, brown-looking grubs, which were feeding 

 upon the blade in all stages of its growth, but principally before it ap- 

 peared above ground. When the untouched blades appeared, the 

 field made a frightful figure, and we determined to plough it up, and 

 consequently let the rooks have their full range over it ; and pretty 

 pickings they had, for they ran up the seams for twenty or thirty 

 yards together, stubbing away at the grubs, and leaving every few in- 

 ches a blade or two of corn. They served about seven acres in this 

 way ; the field was ten acres. The whole crop, however, was saved, 

 for the stubbed part had so filled up, that the difference could not be 

 distinguished at mowing time, and we had a fine crop after all. Not 

 knowing the rook's object in visiting this field, we sent a man to kill 

 one, who speedily shot one and lamed another. The wounded bird 

 vomited out of his mouth a large lump of these grubs, which it was no 

 doubt carrying off to its young. Some years ago a field in this 

 parish was visited for many weeks, at intervals, by a number of rooks 

 and starlings, the former more particularly. Upon examination, I 

 found they preferred certain parts of it, which were large brown 

 patches, and appeared to have been burnt or scathed by lightning. 

 They settled on these by groups, and pulled up the grass, leaving it 

 in tufts until the surface was quite disfigured. I dug out portions 

 with a stick, and underneath discovered a large white grub, which 

 was evidently the object of the rooks' search; but they had nearly ex- 

 terminated them, and soon quitted the field. The grass did not 

 recover its green hue again during that season, although it was but 

 the middle of June. I know an instance in which a farmer consi- 

 dered that the rooks saved him a field of barley, ten acres in extent, 

 by destroying the insects. On the whole, I should say, with Mr. 

 Hepburn, " that the rook must be numbered amongst the farmers' 

 best friends, and in proportion as a knowledge of insect-foes increases, 

 so much the more will he rise in our estimation." Looking upon the 

 habits of the rook, with the eyes both of a naturalist and farmer, I 



