240 
ROOKS. 
insect diet, if not altogether, at least to a great 
extent. And even with respect to grain, they will 
not willingly eat it, except in a particular state, pre- 
ferring it when somewhat softened, and more par- 
ticularly during the time of its undergoing the 
natural malting process, when it not only swells, 
but becomes soft, with an addition of about two- 
thirds of gum and sugar to the small quantity it 
before contained. During this critical time, the 
fresh-sown crop is undoubtedly in some peril, as 
well as a short time before harvest, when the soft 
and sweet ears of green grain offer irresistible temp- 
tation to a robbery of which it is to be feared they 
must be found guilty, and no money can be more 
profitably laid out, at such critical moments, than 
the daily wages of a few boys, for the sole purpose 
of frightening them away. 
Fresh-planted potatoes are also for a time in 
jeopardy; but when they have fairly sprouted, the 
Hooks’ depredations are suspended till the season 
for digging them up, when a trifling loss may be 
sustained by their carrying off a few of such smaller 
ones as they can conveniently grasp in their bill. 
Such are the depredations which may be fairly 
laid to their account; but nevertheless w T e feel quite 
certain that on striking a fair balance, the advantage 
mil be in favour of preserving the Hooks, and that 
if every nest were pulled to pieces, the farmers would 
soon do all in their power to induce the old birds 
to rebuild them ; finding out, too late, that their crops 
might suffer the fate which befell an entire district in 
Germany, and which was once nearly deprived of its 
corn-harvest, by an order to kill the Hooks having 
