THE OOLOGIST. 



147 



The American Crow. 



For some two years now, tlie Ornith- 

 ologist's Association has been making a 

 special study of the Crow. Of conrse, 

 the great question is as to its utility, or 

 its destrnctiveness. That it does much 

 miscliief no one doiibts, but on the 

 other hand, is there a possible balance 

 in its favor. In order to determine 

 this question, the Crows must be close- 

 ly watched throughout the year, mauy 

 must be killed and the contents of their 

 stomachs examined. Before we decide 

 on the protection or destruction of any 

 class of birds, there should be a wide 

 range of inductive study, and. a very 

 cautious deduction. Some of our mem- 

 bers, particularly Mr. Harrv K. Man- 

 nakce, to whose careful observation 

 over man}'' years the substance of this 

 article must be attributed, have given 

 much attention to the stndy of the Cro«\ 



In respect to the destructive propen- 

 sities of the species the most noted 

 item is in the corn tielil. When the 

 corn first comes up in the Spring, the 

 Crow will start his line of marcli on a 

 I'ow and take out each hill as he goes 

 along, probing his bill straight down by 

 the tender blade and diggiug up the 

 soft kernel at the root, thus leaving the 

 blade to whither on the surface. As 

 this mischief occurs during the feather- 

 ing of the young, thc_y are fed on the 

 softened grain. Keeping iip a great 

 racket as the parent bird brings the 

 food. As the species is not gregarious 

 at this time of year, but is widely dis- 

 tributed over the vast corn fields in the 

 vicinity of forests, the depredation is 

 widely extended and not striking 

 enougli to be closelj'^ ob.serA'ed. 



The next period of mischief is when 

 tlie corn is yet tender in the ear. Then 

 the bii'ds light on the ear, pull open the 

 outer end and the upper side and take 

 off a large portion of grain, leaving the 

 remaindei- exposed to the weather, and 

 thus ruining the whole ear. Mr. Man- 



nakee is sure that he has seen not less 

 tlian a thousand at once engaged in 

 thus damaging the corn fields of Mary- 

 land. After tlie corn is cut tlie Crows 

 continue in the fields, lighting on the 

 shocks and opening tlie ears as before. 

 Less damage is done at this time, how- 

 ever, as the corn is less exposed. 



When tlie wheat is shocked the Cro"w 

 shares the harvest, sometimes alighting 

 on shocks in such numbers as to utterly 

 blacken them. At such times Mr. M. 

 has taken as many as seven at one shot. 



Next in importance is the destruction 

 of the 3'^oung and the eggs of the smaller 

 birds. It is safe to say that tliis is a 

 favorite item in tlie Crow's bill of fare. 

 It has a sharp eye, is ever on the alert, 

 and none of the small birds nests, 

 whether in trees or on the ground, are 

 exempt, unless it be the Woodpeckers 

 and such other birds as nest in close 

 cavities. As the small birds are espec- 

 ially insectiverous. the damage is great. 

 Just here it may be proper to say that 

 only those who make a study of bird's 

 nests, can form an}' conception of the 

 number of them which are destroyed in 

 various ways,' i^robably not los- than 

 one-half. 



'Few people in tlie North, where the 

 farms are comparatively small and for 

 the most part cleared and under culti- 

 vation, can form any conception of the 

 mischief done by the Crows to hen's 

 nests in the South, wliere the immeii.se 

 tracts of pine Avoods become alike a 

 rendezvous and a breeding place. A 

 great deal of poultry also is kept in 

 these parts, and the flocks wander more 

 extensively than they would be allowed 

 to do in more highly cultivated districts. 

 Hence the Crow has a continual feast 

 on fresh eggs and young chickens. He 

 knows where the out-lying hen's nests 

 are, perches in the neighborhood and 

 waits for hours for biddy to be deliv- 

 ered of her egg. When she leaves the 

 nest Mr. Crow loses no time in antici- 

 pating the owner of the premises. 



