SELBORNIANA 
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feathers of the gaudiest and most gorgeous hue possible, such 
as those of the South African jay. This ornament was not a 
complete covering for the head, but a knot, or tuft, fastened on 
one side of the head ; and from the central knot dangling and 
waving feathers protruded, thus producing at first a curious 
effect on the beholder. The Zulus now are fond of head-gear 
made of gorgeous-hued feathers, and oftentimes will not part 
with them even for a considerable sum. 
“ There is in this weakness alike of the fashionable female 
world at home and the fashionable native in South Africa that 
touch of nature which makes the whole world kin .” — Zambesi 
Mission Record, April, 1901. 
Money in Crows. — A German savant, Herr Rorig, has 
devoted years to the investigation of the question whether crows 
are useful or deleterious birds. He has lately published some 
interesting figures on the subject, based on the examination of 
the contents of the stomachs of 3,259 carrion crows and 1,500 
rooks. He calculated that the grain eaten by the 3,259 carrion 
crows during a whole year would have a money value of about 
;^900. He estimates that the same number of birds inflict an 
annual damage of about ;^i,450 by the destruction of young 
hares, partridges, &c. That is to say, each crow inflicts damage 
to the amount altogether of about 14s. annually. 
It is more difficult to calculate the service rendered to the 
farmer by the same birds. This service consists in the destruc- 
tion of mice and pernicious insects, especially canker-worms 
and wire-worms. 
Herr Rorig estimates that in the process of development the 
wire-worm will destroy 10 plants, a canker-worm 20, and that 
a field-mouse, with its progeny, will destroy 1,000. He calcu- 
lates that the 3,259 crows referred to would benefit the agricul- 
turists to the amount of about £2,^00 per annum by devouring 
injurious insects, &c. According to these estimates, the value 
of the benefit effected by the carrion crow exceeds the value of 
the damage it causes by iid. per annum. 
With rooks the difference is still greater, amounting to 4s. 8d. 
per annum. Herr Rorig says that his figures must not be taken 
as being exact, but as being approximately true. They serve, 
however, to show that crows in general are not to be regarded 
as deleterious birds, and that rooks are extremely useful. 
With true German zeal Herr Rorig has instituted most far- 
reaching inquiries, the results of which lead him to estimate 
that Germany possesses between 2J and 2| million crows of all 
kinds, and that these birds unwittingly represent to agriculture a 
capital of from ;^qoo,ooo to ^500,000 . — Morning Leader. 
Variation. — In the Naturalists' Journal for June Mr. E. W. 
Swanton (of the Haslemere Educational Museum) has an 
article on the variation of Paris quadrifolia, to which subject he 
has paid considerable attention. There are figures of four 
