550 



Missouri Agricultural Report. 



in raising chickens. In this case the trouble was brought about by 

 his own carelessness. 



Crows are very fond of June beetles and white grubs, also of 

 young field mice, and crows following the plow in the field are a 

 familiar sight to everyone. 



Those who have investigated the matter, make the claim that 

 a considerable part of the sprouting grain pulled up has been 

 found to be kernels on which worms were feeding, the crows ap- 

 parently being as much in search of the worms as of the grain. 



From my own observation I would advise the destruction of an 

 individual which was known to have formed pilfering habits, but to 

 protect the species as a whole. In some localities where crows 

 have been greatly reduced in numbers, field mice have become so 

 abundant as greatly to injure the crops. As before stated, the 

 destruction of any one species of animal life results in the cor- 

 responding increase of some other, usually more injurious than 

 the first. 



THE COOPER HAWK. 



(For detailed account of observation, see Forest and Stream, October H. 1011.) 



Having spent weeks of time in shadowing families of hawks, 



I feel very sure of my ground in 

 discussing them. The Cooper hawk, 

 figure 2, feeds almost entirely on 

 poultry and birds according to my 

 observation. It is very shy and 

 difficult to kill. During the weeks 

 of my observation, the only small 

 animals known to be eaten were a 

 few prairie squirrels about the 

 time the grain and meadows were 

 cut, when they became an especial- 

 ly easy prey. A pair of these birds 

 are a serious menace to the poultry 

 of any neighborhood. 



Fig. 



The Cooper Hawk. 



THE SHARPSHIN HAWK. 



The Sharpshin is very much 

 like the Cooper hawk in appear- 

 ance but of much smaller size. Its food habits are very similar, 

 birds and young poultry composing the greater part of its food. 



