BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 125 
time everyone acknowledges that they do some harm."* 
They are eager devourers of wire-worms and cockchafers, 
and have on more than one occasion helped to check 
phenomenal plagues of the larvce of the antler-moth or 
hill grub {CharcBas graminis) when they have been devas- 
tating our upland pastures. Thus, so early as 1765 we 
read in an account of Eskdalemuir, of " a species of worms 
which destroyed the grass by cutting its roots. They 
were of a green colour, and about an inch long. They 
appeared about the end of May, and continued till the 
beginning of August, when they were destroyed by great 
flocks of crows and heavy rains."t Again in 1802, 1812 
and 1824, when this pest was rampant, we learn of great 
incursions of Rooks to those parts most affected, as also 
in 1843 and 1885. 
During the vole-plague of 1891-1893, when some forty- 
seven to fifty thousand acres were damaged in the north 
of the county from Eskdalemuir by Moffat to Thornhill, 
the " greatest service was rendered by the Rooks, which 
tore out the nests and destroyed thousands of young 
voles,"J and the Committee appointed to enquire into 
the cause of the vole-plague was led to report on the 
"exceUent services" of the Rook, "which it is to be 
hoped no short-sighted policy will greatly reduce in 
numbers."§ Indeed, some authorities attributed the 
visitation of the voles in such numbers to the previous 
excessive persecution of Hawks, Owls and Rooks. All this 
to the credit side of the Rooks' account. Now the debit 
side : damage done to newly-sown corn and potato-fields in 
spring, to the corn when cut and in " stooks " or sheaves, 
and to turnips in winter by picking holes in the bulbs! 
Add to these faults all the crimes attributed to the Carrion- 
Crow and you have a serious total of defalcations. 
* Science Progress, 1907, Vol. 11. , p. 269. 
t Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. XII., pp. 610, 611. 
t Mammals of Great Britain, Vol. II., p. 276. 
§ Report Field Voles Scot. (C. 6943), 1893, p. 13. 
