BOOK NOTICE. 



25 



capture of a Grouse or Duck by a Wild Falcon is worth several birds 

 in the bag — a sight not soon to be forgotten, and to be much talked 

 of in future days. 



Buzzards also destroy much real vermin,* although they will seize 

 wounded game if opportunity happens. The continued destruction 

 of these birds in the British Isles is a matter to be deplored by all 

 alike. Owls of all species should be omitted from the black list ; 

 the service rendered by them to the farmer and gardener in keeping 

 down sparrowSjf mice, and rats, infinitely outweighs any slight injury 

 to the game preserver. It should also be borne in mind that when 

 Owls are beating for prey, the young of all flying game are safe in 

 covert or beneath their mother's wing. 



Undoubtedly, the Carrion Crow and his new cousin, the Grey 

 Crow, are the worst pests possible. The former, whose capacity for 

 mischief exceeds all others, w^e heard an old keeper designate as ' the 

 king of all the varmints.' If once a pair of Carrion Crows discover — 

 and they miss nothing that moves — a nide of young Pheasants or 

 brood of Partridges, they never desist pursuit as long as one is left. 

 A Highland keeper told us that he considered a pair of Grey Crows 

 with a nest of young to feed, equal in destroying power to a couple 

 of guns for the season. On our remarking, ' Why, Donald, they 

 must be bad shots ! ' he went on to say that he and another keeper 

 once found the remains of several hundreds of Grouse eggs in a 

 moss hagg, where they had been carried and sucked by a pair of 

 Grey Crows, whose nest had been inadvertently overlooked in a 

 neighbouring wood. Not only do they destroy game, but they are 

 the inveterate enemies of all small birds, destroying eggs and young 

 alike, and in a prolonged frost they will attack and carry off any 

 weak or disabled bird which they come across. J 



Ravens also, carrion-feeders although they are, make sad havoc 

 with Grouse and Ptarmigan when they get amongst a brood, gobbling 



* In a nest of Btcteo vulgaris, taken in North Wales in June, 1872, there 

 were two young partly-fledged birds, and beside them lay two Moles, two Stoats, 

 and a Pine Marten. — Zool., 1876, p. 4829. 



t Mr. Frank Norgate, of Sparham, Norfolk, once found 20 dead Rats, fresh 

 killed, in a Barn Owl's nest. And out of 700 pellets of this Owl, examined by 

 Dr. Altum, remains were found of 16 Bats, 2,573 mice, i mole, and 22 birds, of 

 which 19 were sparrows. 



X Mr. W. Stock, master on the Outer Dowsing Light-vessel, reports, under 

 date of October 6, 1886, ' Caught one Redwing, which was struck by a Crow and 

 fell bleeding on deck ; several small birds struck by Crows and fell in water.' 

 As no possible use could be made of the stricken and disabled birds by the black 

 and grey pirates, this useless raid on their fellow travellers must have been from 

 sheer wickedness, and out of pure cussedness only. 

 Jan. 1887. 



