by agriculturists is a question which general opinion seems
to have settled by considering that the damage, though
often great, is much more than outweighed by the services
rendered in the destruction of millions of grubs
of the cockchafer, chovy, the several species of wireworm,
and the larvse of crane-flies, commonly called harry-long-
legs; these, and many others equally injurious to vegetation,
are eagerly sought and devoured, forming a very large proportion
of the food of this most numerous species. Early in
the morning Kooks visit meadows while the grass is yet wet
with dew to break their fast on worms and slugs. Later in
the day they may be seen, either searching newly-ploughed
land for the various insects there exposed, or again visiting
pastures for other purposes. They have been accused of
destroying the grass by pulling it up by the roots; but this
is an error. The tufts of grass or other plants, so often
found withered on the surface, have already been destroyed
by the grubs which live in the soil having eaten into their
roots, as is evident on examination. The plants retain their
position in the ground and for some time their verdure, hut
are quite loose and can be removed almost by a touch. The
Rooks merely pull them up in the act of getting at the
authors of the mischief. The grass that is uninjured is left
growing. In what way the birds first detect the presence of
grubs in the ground is not known to us. Some think by
actual experiment: others by the altered appearance of the
plant; but the result is certain : large patches of a pasture
are often thus probed, and, though the damage already done
be considerable, further injury, especially that which would
follow from the grubs attaining maturity and propagating
their kind, is completely prevented.* The utility of
Rooks on other occasions has also been declared. Many
years ago, it is said (Mag. Nat. Hist. vi. p. 143), a flight of
locusts visited Craven, and their numbers created considerable
alarm among the farmers of the district. The Rooks,
however, flocked in from all sides by thousands and devoured
* The Rook however is not the only bird which confers this benefit. Partridges
destroy a vast number of grass-eating grubs.
the insects so greedily that they were all destroyed in a short
time. It is also stated (loc. cit.) that, about 1830, there was
such an enormous quantity of caterpillars upon Skiddaw,
that they devoured all the vegetation on the mountain, and
people feared they would attack the crops in the enclosed
lands ; but the Rooks, having discovered them, in a very
short time put a stop to their ravages.
A very different opinion once prevailed. In 1532 an Act
of Parliament (24 Hen. VIII. c. x.) enjoined all persons to kill
and utterly destroy all manner of Choughs, Crows and Rooks*,
and declared that the inhabitants of every place containing at
least ten households should at their own cost provide a netf
which was to be set at all convenient times at a “ shrape ” I,
made with chaff and other things fit for that purpose for the
destruction of these birds, and kept in repair for ten years
under penalty of 10s., a reward of twopence a dozen being
given for old birds. Bishop Stanley quotes an entry among
certain presentments concerning Alderley in Cheshire in
15 9 8 :—« Tye find that there is no Crow-nett in the parish,
a pa-yne that one be bought by the charge of the parish ” ;
and doubtless many other such records exist.
In Scotland, legal persecution began still earlier, and an
Act passed in 1424, followed by another in 1457, forfeited to
the king all trees whereon Rooks were suffered to build their
nests, should the nests be left at Beltane (May-day). In
Ireland, the statute of 17 Geo. II. c. x. offered a reward
for the head of any of the Crow-tribe.
The attempts made by man to interfere directly with the
* The vague meaning of “ Chough” has been already mentioned (page 253,
note). “ Crow ” and “ Rook ” are in common speech even now interchangeable,
witness Mr. Tennyson’s “ many-winter’d crow that leads the clanging rookery
home. ’’
l The Crow-net is figured and described in Willughby’s ‘ Ornithology , but
not very clearly. It “ may be placed near any Barn-door where Corn is winnowed,
or in a Corn-stubble, or on the Greensword in the Morning and Evening
haunts of any Birds where they gather Worms. Where-ever placed it must be
carefully hid and concealed, as much as may be, from the view of the Birds, as
if near a Barn-door by casting Chaff upon it, &c. ”
| “ Shrape ’ signifies a place scraped, and so prepared for the catching of birds
which was apparently carried on in time of snow.