1883.] UTILITY OF BIRDS IN AGRICULTURE. 95 



lows are really less abundant, but if you go along the sea- 

 shore you will find that they are nearly as abundant there as 

 they were say five years ago. I know that is true in a great 

 many cases. 



Then in regard to blackbirds. I mentioned the starlings, 

 which are the same as blackbirds. The word is used for 

 both the starling and the blackbird. I don't think there is 

 any doubt about their economy, or, rather, their uselessness. 

 I don't think there is much economy about starlings, — I 

 mean, the red-winged blackbird. The cjow-blackbird is very 

 little trouble, and the cow-blackbird is beneficial rather than 

 injurious. 



Mr. Hubbard. May not the scarcity of barn swallows be 

 accounted for by the fact that farmers are building tight 

 barns, that will not admit them? I have two barns; one is 

 built so that birds cannot get into it ; the other has knot 

 holes in it ; and in the latter, the swallows are as abundant 

 as ever they were as far as I can observe. 



Following up the crow question, I want to ask the Pro- 

 fessor upon what he bases his remarks that the crow is, in this 

 vicinity, a grain-eating bird ? I should not say so from my 

 observation. He eats almost everything. While corn is in 

 the field, he eats it from the cob, but as far as my own imper- 

 fect observation enables me to judge, that is about the only 

 time, and the only extent, that he eats corn. 



Question. What does he live on all the rest of the year ? 



Mr. Hubbard. We know he will take animal food in 

 about any form. In fact it seems as if he lived on almost 

 anything ; as if he was as nearly omniverous as anything that 

 grows. I questioned in my own mind whether he was 

 rightly classified. 



Prof. Stearns. The crow is classified as a grain-eating 

 bird, more from the construction of the oesophagus than any- 

 thing else. I have found that with the finches, the black- 

 bird, and all that class of birds of which the crow is a 

 member, the construction of the oesophagus and the crop is 

 about the same ; there is very little difference. In the classi- 



