Food of Rook, Starling and Chaffinch. 
56 
67 percent, of the crops, and in 86 cases in which they occurred 
they formed 95 per cent, of the food contents. Injurious 
insects occurred in 14 per cent, of the crops, the percentage 
of “ weevils ” (Rhyncophora) being 9. Many instances in this 
enquiry show that the chaffinch takes large quantities of some 
of the most troublesome weed seeds, such as Chickweed, Dock, 
Hawkweed, Knotgrass; Chickweed especially being taken in 
large quantities. Grain was found in 41 per cent, of the birds ; 
but it appeared in most cases to be taken from manure or ricks 
in farm yards and not from the cultivated land, so that the 
bird was really doing little or no damage to the farmer. 
Seeds of value to the farmer other than grain (such as clover, 
turnip) were found in only 3 per cent, of the birds ; this 
number is surprisingly small in view of the general impression 
prevailing as to the destructive habits of the chaffinch. 
