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Recent Literature. \Jo^ 



young or eggs of wild birds, during the tour months named, as a part of 

 its daily diet. For we do not believe, from what ^\e have seen of 

 Crows in life, that 86 per cent of the race are too virtuous to indulge in 

 such dainties when the opportunity is available. Professor Barrows says : 

 " The actual quantity of bird remains found in the stomachs is compara- 

 tively small. In very few cases did it form as much as half of the entire 

 stomach contents, though in one or two stomachs it exceeded that propor- 

 tion. The average for the 50 stomachs was about 18J per cent; or only li 

 per cent for the 616 stomachs taken during the season. The average 

 annual amount in the 909 stomachs was almost exactly' i per cent." This 

 is certainly a very considerate way of putting the case — for the Crow, 

 since such food is available for only about one third of the vear. But sup- 

 pose that, as here assumed, only i^ per cent of the food of millions of 

 voracious Crows for four months of each vear consists of the eggs and 

 3'oung of wild birds, who can calculate the immense destruction of bird 

 life here admitted.^ 



The Bulletin consists of four chapters, as follows: I. 'General Habits 

 of the Crow,' under which is treated its geographic distribution, migra- 

 tion, and Crow roosts, the latter occupying about 16 pages, and giv- 

 ing a list of the principal known Crow roosts. II. ' Animal food of 

 the Crow' (pp. 26-56), considered under various subheadings. III. 'Insect 

 food of the Crow' (pp. 56-72). This includes a special report (pp. 57- 

 68) on the character of the insect food found in Crows' stomachs by Mr. 

 E. A. Schwarz, of the Division of Entomology, who renders the follow- 

 ing verdict: "The facts on the whole overwhelmingly speak in favor of 

 the Crow, and taken alone would be at variance with the prevalent 

 opinion hitherto held and j'et held regarding the economic status of 

 the Crow as an insectivorous bird." IV. 'Vegetable food of the Crow' 

 (pp. 72-85). Although other grains than corn are eaten by the Crow, 

 and although fruits are eaten to a small extent, the ovXy real damage 

 done to crops is occasioned by the persistent habit of Crows everywhere 

 of pulling the newly planted corn to get at the swollen kernel, which they 

 devour with avidity. The damage thus caused is sometimes serious, but 

 is easily guarded against, as shown in Chapter IV, 'Protection of Crops' 

 (pp. 8S-94), as by 'tarring' the corn before planting it, to render it dis- 

 tasteful, and by using various devices for frightening the Crows away. 

 Another safeguard we have often known practiced with success is to 

 scatter small quantities of corn about the field, which the Crows and 

 other corn-loving birds will eat in preference to pulling up the grow- 

 ing sprouts. 



Under the head of migration. Professor Barrows states that the fact 

 that " Crows are regularly migratory has been generally overlooked, 

 chiefl}' because in most localities in the United States where Crows 

 breed they are represented in winter by at least a few individuals. . . . 

 The great center of Crow population in the eastern part of this winter 

 ''one [lat. 35°-40°] is in the neighborhood of Chesapeake Bay and its 



