12 



fragments of the egg shell of a Pheasant in the stomach of a 

 Jay (No. 322) ; and portions of the egg of a Meadow Pipit in the 

 Cuckoo (No. 459). In the course of a long experience in the field 

 one has frequently found eggs bearing unmistakable signs of 

 having been " sucked," and in all probability by birds ; but 

 as stoats* and mice are sometimes guilty of the same offence, 

 one cannot lay the blame entirely upon birds which may have 

 acquired a taste for such delicacies. 



Field Voles, Mice, &c. — The summaries given at the end of 

 the post-mortem records of the various birds of prey furnish 

 abundant evidence of the usefulness of some of the Hawks 

 and Owls in destroying these vermin. Reference need not be 

 made to the unceasing persecution which the Owls and harmless 

 Hawks receive at the hands of gamekeepers ; but one feels 

 bound to say that there is also a ruthless and wanton destruction 

 of these birds by those who, very largely, benefit indirectly by 

 their habits, and to whom the Wild Birds Protection Act is a 

 mere cipher. 



Vegetable Food. 



Having discussed the subject of this investigation from a 

 zoological standpoint, we may proceed to consider briefly the 

 nature of the vegetable matter which was found in the post- 

 mortem examinations. Attention has already been called to 

 the fact that comparatively few examples of the grain and 

 seed eating birds were examined, so that one is not in a position 

 to add much to the notes which are given in various portions 

 of this work. It may be well to state that the House Sparrow 

 and the Wood Pigeon have been left out of the question 

 altogether, as the former has already received considerable 

 attention at the hands of other investigators, and it is hoped 

 thai the latter will form the subject of a separate memoir to be 

 dealt with at a later date. Much could be said with regard to 

 the grain-eating habits of the Rook, but with this species more 

 extended investigations are greatly needed, though the records 

 dealing with the insect dietary of this bird are of economic 

 importance. 



Wheat and other Grain. — Grain was found altogether in about 



* I once saw a stoat rob a Thrush's nest of its eggs, though I cannot say if this 

 habit is at all general. 



