302 



and ft-ed on tl 

 ground, ;ui(l llu' 

 when in the mil 



\VIL,L E'AT BIRDS AND EGGS. 



Crow Blackbirds destroy the eggs and voimi;- of a 

 niiniln'r of species of small wild birds which nest in 

 l»arks, lawns and gardens. Like the Crows, thev will 

 visit the meadows and grass fields and sieal the eggs 

 oi' nestlings of Meadow-larks, (^)iiMil and oilici- giDund 

 nesting species. TJiey sometimes will (aiih yumig 

 chickens soon after they are hatched, and it is attirnied 

 that they will also eat the eggs of domes) it-ated fowls. 

 The damage, however, which I'.lackbirds do in the jxinl- 

 ir.v yard is vei-y itisignificant. 



THEY SOMETIMES EAT FISH. 



Ill Florida, the Blackbird, according lo my invest i- 

 gatitms, takes most kindly to a ti.sli diet. In the spring 

 of 1885 I collected seventeen Blackbirds in Florida, 

 along the St. John's river. These seventeen examples, 

 obtained at varions periods from March 1 to May 7, 

 showed generally an insect food preference — bcellcs, 

 principally. Six of the number, however, revealed iin- 

 niistaliable evidences cf having taken as nourishment 

 fishes, as will be seen by this table: 



