LAND BIRDS. 423 



«,nd oi^en fiekls, and that they hide during the day * * * in just such places as are 

 preferably investigated by the Crow in search of food, it is remarkable that they do not 

 constitute the largest part of the insect food. Even if we include all other lepidopterous 

 larvae and pupae found in the stomachs, this food does not by any means rank among the 

 most prominent features. The only explanation that occurs to me * * * js that the 

 Crow greatly prefers insects with hard bodies. Cutworms occur in many stomachs, usually 

 singly or in very small numbers, rarely forming the bulk of the food in any one stomach 

 and never the entire food. Noctuid pupae were foimd only in isolated cases. 



"8. Soldier bugs (Pentatomidae). Although by no means representing a considerable 

 portion of the insect food, the constantly recurring presence of various species of soldier 

 bugs constitutes a characteristic feature in the food habits of the Crow. * * * it 

 seems probable that the strong odor or taste of these soldier bugs is the reason why they 

 are so eagerly sought l^y the Crows. * * * Those found belong to Podisus, EuscMstus, 

 and allied genera. 



"9. Ants (Formicidae) . Ants form only a small proportion of the bulk of the insect 

 food, but their frequent occurrence in the stomachs suggests the explanation that they are 

 relished by the Crow on account of their peculiar acid taste. * * * The largest species, 

 Camponotus and Formica, are most frequent. The presence of very small species is probably 

 due to accident (picked up with dead or wounded May-beetles). 



"Among insects which occurred only in a moderate number of stomachs and visually 

 only as single specimens, or only in a few stomachs in large numbers, the following perhaps 

 deserve mention: 



"Click-beetles (Elateridae) . A tolerably large number of species but none represented 

 by many specimens. Larvae (wire-worms) were found only in a few isolated instances. 



"Lamellicorn beetles. Lucanids occur occasionally, while various species of Scaraboeids 

 form in the aggregate a not inconspicuous portion of the insect food. 



"Ants, bees, and wasps (Hymenoptera) . Only a moderate number of species and speci- 

 mens found, except of ants, already referred to. 



"Flies (Diptera). The whole order is comparatively poorly represented. The small 

 number of larvae and puparia found in the stomachs is in striking contrast with their 

 enormous abundance in the excrement of horses, cattle, etc., or in dead animals. 



"Crickets (Gryllidae). Very poorly represented. Ground crickets of the genera (Jn/llus 

 and Nemobuis occur in a moderate number of stomachs." 



The complete or almost complete absence in the stomachs of numerous 

 harmful insects which live in places readily accessible to the Crow is note- 

 worthy. Witness the following from Mr. Schwarz' report: 



"The absence of the large family of leaf-beetles (Chrysomelidse) is striking. Not a 

 specimen of the notorious Colorado potato beetle was found, nor a single larva of any 

 member of the family. 



"The absence of all cabbage-worms deserves mention, also the absence of the various 

 Sphingid larvae and their pupae, which infest potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and 

 tobacco. The corn-worm (larva of Ileliothis armigera) is here specially mentioned. because 

 it is said that the Crows pull open and injure the ears of corn only for the purpose of getting 

 at tlie corn worms. None were recognized in the stomachs. 



"No traces of the Hessian-fly were fovmd in the stomachs, but the small size of the 

 larva and pupa, as well as their mode of occurrence, make it improbable that the Crows 

 ever feed on this insect. 



" Among all the stomachs examined only a single specimen of the notorious chinch bug 

 {Blissus leucopterus) was found, and, unless we assume that this insect is too small, no 

 explanation of its absence is offered. 



"The more or less injiu"ious leaf-hoppers (Jassidse, Cercopidae, Membracidae) are not 

 represented in the stomachs. 



"No specimens of white ants (Termitidae), the only injurious family of the order 

 Neuroptera, occurred in the stomachs. 



"All spiders are insectivorous but only a few are useful to man. The only family which 

 is well represented in the stomachs (Lycosidae) has no economic importance. 



"No ticks (Ixodidae) were found in the stomachs." 



In summing up the good and harm done by the Crow in the consumption 

 of insects we must give full credit for his work on grasshoppers, May beetles, 

 click beetles and weevils. The work on grasshoppers is all good ; the work 

 on May beetles is likely to be greatly overrated, yet unquestionably is 

 important. Many yoai's of cjiroful field work have coiiviiicfMl us that 



