ZOOLOGY. 829 



States during a whole jcsiV. The food consisted of 73.4 per cent vege- 

 table and 20.0 per cent animal matter. Grain, collectiveh', amounted 

 to 13.9 per cent of the food of the 3'ear, but it appeared that half of this 

 was waste grain. Weed seed was apparentl}' the favorite food of this 

 l)ird, as the total amount of grass and weed seeds constituted 54.0 per 

 cent of the 3'ear's food. The author concludes that judging b}^ stom- 

 ach contents the red-winged blackbird is a very useful bird. 



Of the California red-winged blackbird, 01 stomachs were examined 

 and of the total food 1.0 per cent was animal matter, while 98.4 per 

 cent was vegetable matter and mostly grain. It would appear from 

 these facts that this species may do great damage where it is abundant 

 in grain-growing sections. 



Of the rusty Ijlackbird, 132 stomachs from 10 States were examined. 

 The stomachs contained 53 per cent of animal matter. Corn was found 

 to be the favorite grain food of this bird and constituted 17.0 per cent 

 of the year's food. Grain, collectively", amounted to 24.4 per cent of 

 the food for the year. The author believes from a study of this bird 

 that the animal food is always preferred when available. 



Of the Brewer's blackbird, 140 stomachs were examined from 

 States. The animal matter constituted 31.8 per cent and the vege- 

 table matter 08.2 per cent of the food. Grain collectively amounted 

 to 00. 3 per cent of the total food for the }■ ear. Although this record 

 is against Brewer's blackbird, the author states that comparativeh' 

 few complaints have been received regarding the injuries of this spe- 

 cies to grain iields. 



Of the crow blackbird, 2,340 stomachs were examined, of which 37 

 contained traces of birds' eggs and 1 contained the bones of a young- 

 bird. The food as a whole comprised 30.3 per cent animal and 09.7 

 per cent vegetable matter. Insects constituted 27 per cent of the 

 entire food for the 3'ear. Corn, oats, wheat, rye, and buckwheat were 

 found in the stomachs of the crow blackbird, corn being evidently the 

 grain preferred by this species. Among the large number of stomachs 

 examined, 450 were of nestlings, the food of which consisted of 74.4 

 per cent animal and 25.0 per cent vegetable matter. Insects amounted 

 to 70 per cent of the total food of the nestlings, while corn constituted 

 15 per cent of the total food. The author concludes from the examina- 

 tion of these stomach contents that the crow blackbird is a useful 1)ird 

 and one against which no general war of extermination should be 

 waged. 



Of the boat-tailed grackle, 110 stomachs taken in every month of 

 the year were examined. The food comprised 39.8 per cent animal 

 and 00.2 per cent vegetable matter. Grain constituted 40.8 per cent 

 of the total food, and of this all but a mere trace was corn. The 

 author concludes that wherever this grackle is abundant it maj^ become 

 very injurious to the corn crop. 



