NEW MOVEMENT IN THE SOUTH OF SCOTLAND. Ax important addition
has been made to the joint-stock com- panies, which, by means of public meetings, speeches, and resolu, tions—committees, correspondence, and subscriptions—keep our little world of Britain alive : an Anti-Rook Society has been insti- tuted at Dumfries, and affiliated branches are to be organized throughout the surrounding counties.
The South-west of Scotland has been notoriously infested with rooks ever since the days of BURNS; who felt himself called upon to warn his fair countrywomen against "rakish rooks, like Rai) Mossgiel." But, to judge by the speeches delivered at the cons stituent meeting of the new society, those feathered plagues have now come, in point of numbers and voracity, to rival another sort of birds commemorated by the same poet— "Repeated, successive, for many long years,
They darken'd the air and they plunder'd the land."
One farmer had lost by the pillage of rooks in one year, 211. upon 12 acres of wheat, and 111. 10s. on 8 acres of potatoes. Another had lost 71. on 8 acres of potatoes. A third expended 101. per annum on" herding alone,"—an expression by which the speaker meant exactly the reverse of the common Scotch phrase, "herding kye." The Chairman declared, "in fact, it was come to that now, that he could not protect his crops." And Mr. STEWART of Hill• side, one of the most intelligent and skilful of Scotch agriculturists, estimated the damage annually done by rooks, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright alone, at 4,0001.; while another gentleman was of opinion that it was nearer 10,000/. That there is here a real grievance, will scarcely be doubted; though opinions in Scotland seem much divided as to the character of the new movement. Some staunch Conservatives think that the spirit in which the rooks are attacked savours too much of that which in Ireland animated the assailants of tithes. On the other hand, the supporters of the Anti-Corn-law League hesitate to countenance an association of farmers which has for its object to obtain "pro- tection," though it be only against rooks. Some maintain that the " clamant " nature of the grievance sufficiently explains and vindicates the association ; while others shake their heads, and say it is a barefaced imitation of the London Radicals. Had not the Rookery of St. Giles's been destroyed, at the instigation of the Westminster Review, they should never have heard of an Anti-Rook Association in Dumfries.
The energy of this association is not all expended in speeches. Some of their arrangements do indicate a kindred Bpi/it to that which animates the Daughters of Rebecca. Provost CarcitTosi was authorized by a gallant Colonel to state' "that he was quite satis- fied as to the great destruction caused by rooks, and would lend a hand willingly to reduce their numbers.' And Mr. STEWART. of Hillside proposed, that the Secretary should immediately write to the various proprietors of rookeries in the district, enclosing a copy of the resolutions of the meeting, "and respectfully requesting an answer to the question, whether they would be willing of them- selves to reduce the number of the rooks, or allow the present meeting to do it by their committee." This gunpowder suggestion is more like a Rockite than an Anti-Rookite proposal. Perhaps, however, it means nothing worse than a covert way of obtaining the landlord's permission to have a shot at his black game.
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