lack vs slim pickings

lack

noun
  • A deficiency or need (of something desirable or necessary); an absence, want. 

verb
  • To be short (of or for something). 

  • To be without, not to have, to need, to require. 

slim pickings

noun
  • A small amount, especially of money; paucity. 

How often have the words lack and slim pickings occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )