Contents -- Introduction -- 1. Lost animals: early eliminations by Man -- 2. The social background to persecution -- 3. To kill a Rat or catch a Kite: methods of control -- 4. Killing in Scotland -- 5. In on the Act-searching the record -- 6. Birds-individual species accounts -- Cormorant and Shag -- Osprey -- Sea Eagle-Erne -- Golden Eagle -- Red Kite -- Hen Harrier -- 'Hawks' -- Buzzard -- Green Woodpecker-the hew hole or galley bird -- Dipper and Kingfisher -- Jay -- Magpie -- Chough -- Rook -- Carrion/Hooded Crow -- Jackdaw -- Raven -- Starling -- House Sparrow -- Bullfinch -- 7. Mammals-individual species accounts -- Hedgehog -- Mole -- Polecat -- Pine Marten -- Fox -- Rat -- Wild Cat -- Badger -- Weasel -- Stoat -- Otter -- 8. Local patterns of persecution: England and Wales -- 9. The return of the natives -- 10. Modern control-legal and illegal -- 11. Vermin control and wildlife management: where next? -- Appendix 1: Summary table of vermin payments extracted from churchwardens' accounts -- Appendix 2: Scientific names of species mentioned in the text -- References -- Index -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y.