ROOKS, CROWS, AND CHOUGHS.
[To THE EDITOR. OP THE "SPECTATOR."]
Sul,—The writer of the article on " Gulls in Winter," in your issue of February 18th, appears to consider that the rook has only recently been recognised as a "wicked bird." There was, owever, an Act for the Destruction of Crows and Rooks so long ago as the year 1532. That Act (24 Henry VIII., c. 10) recites :-
"Forasmuch as innumerable Number of Rooks, Crows and Choughs do daily breed, and increase throughout this Realm, which Rooks, Crows and Choughs, do yearly destroy, devour and consume a wonderful and marvellous great Quantity of Corn and Grain of all kinds, that is to wit, as well in the sowing of the same Corn and Grain, as also at the ripening and kernelling of the same, and over that a marvellous Destruction and Decay of the Covertures of thatched Houses, Barns, Reeks, Stacks and other such like : So that if the said Crows, Rooks and Choughs should be suffered to breed and continue, as they have been in certain Years past, they will undoubtedly be the Cause of the great Destruction and Consumption of a great Part of the Corn and Grain which hereafter shall be sown throughout this Realm, to the great Prejudice, Damage and Undoing of the great Number of all the Tillers Husbands, and Sowers of the Earth within the same : " And it enacts that every one shall do his best to kill and utterly destroy all Rooks, &c., on Pain of a grievous Amercia-
ment. Every Town, Hamlet, &c., shall provide and maintain Crow Nets during ten years. The taker of Crows, &c., shall have after the Rate of Two-pence the Dozen. The Act 8 Elizabeth, a. 15, revived so much of this former Act as concerned the Provision, Use and Maintenance of Nets and Shrops for the Destruction of Crows, &c.; and provided that in every Parish sums should be raised for the destruction of noyful fowl and vermin : and for the heads of three old Crows Choughs, Pies, or Rooks, or of six young ones, or for six eggs, was to be given a penny.
It was held in 1824 in Hannam v. Mockett, 2 B. and C. 934, that an action would not lie for driving away rooks, and causing them to forsake the trees of the plaintiff, as rooks are noyful fowl.—I am, Sir, &c., WILLIAM BARNARD. 3 New Court, Lincoln's Inn, W.C.
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