1883.] UTILITY OF BIRDS IN AGRICULTURE. 93 



dian "■ RusingeV^ — that most beautiful songster of the cold regions, 

 migrates in large quantities and helps to retain foliage to our 

 shrubs and trees from the northern Atlantic to the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, at the very least. 



So far one would imagine that the economy and utility of 

 bird-life in nature was all smiles. Lest anyone should be deceived 

 let me say, vow vengeance, deep and continual, on the remaming 

 families of which I speak. Let bobolink and blackbird alike 

 share the odium of utter uselessness. They swarm in tens of 

 thousands; they gormandize; they destroy every seed, grain, or 

 eatable they can come across, and I verily believe are only mad- 

 dened because they cannot get more. They have no feeling but 

 for their own crops; and when they have eaten to excess amuse 

 themselves by tearing with beak and claws anything of value that 

 they can lay hold of. Thank fortune, they are less abundant now 

 than ten years ago even. Were they wholly exterminated it would 

 be thousands of dollars in the pocket of every farmer in our 

 country. 



But I have already overrun my time ; I have failed to say one-half 

 the things I had intended to make prominent here, so thanking 

 you all for your kindly attention I will turn my last page. 



The Chairman. Have gentlemen any questions to ask the 

 lecturer ? 



Mr. West. I would like to ask Prof. Stearns one question. 

 He did not make his views quite clear in regard to the crow. 

 There are more doubts in this part of the audience as to 

 whether the lecturer considers the crow a damage to the 

 agriculturist or not. 



Prof. Stearns. I do not think there is any doubt that he 

 is a damage to the agriculturist. He preys upon the corn- 

 field, and eats the corn indiscriminately, whether there are 

 any insects or not. That has been proved by dissection of 

 stomach and crop. 



Mr. West. Once, I should have agreed with the Professor 

 completely, but I have changed my opinion. Some years ago, 

 I had a field of corn, and I was told that the crows were 

 pulling my corn. On visiting the field I saw that the corn 

 had been badly worm-eaten, but I found only one spear 



