8EED-EAHV. niKOS 231 



two kinds of blackbirds already mentioned arc tbe chief 

 offenders, and in some sections of the country they arc 

 eonaidered peats, Where tbe blackbirds gather in rery 

 Socks tlicv do considerable damage to grain. Bat 

 it is very probable that tbe destruction of grain is due 

 to the lack of other food, for even when they can get 

 cultivated grain these birds cat weed-seed and insects, 

 and while they do some damage they certainly do some 

 good. 



The crow is accused qi pulling up young corn, and is 



probably guilty of this prime; hut. on the other hand, 



about 25 per cent of the crow's food consists of harmful 



ta, and the number of such insects destroyed by 



crows must be immense. 



Kobins, catbirds, and mocking-birds arc often accused 

 of taking fruit, but the best testimony goes to show 

 that the value of the fruit eaten 1>\ them is l>ut small, 

 and is paid formanv t imes over by the number of harm- 

 ful insects destroyed. 



Questions 



1. What aid the farmer in his fight against weeds? 

 2. About how many kinds of birds are known to eat the 

 seed of weeds? 3. Name some of the best known seed- 

 eating birds. 4. Give some idea of the amount of seed 

 eaten by the tree sparrow in Iowa. 5. What can you say 

 in defense of the blackbird and the crow? 



PROBLEM 



Suppose that in your State there are ten sparrows to each 

 square mile, and that each sparrow eats one-fourth of an 

 ounce of seed a day for one hundred and fifty days. How 

 many pounds of seed will be eaten during that time in the 

 State? How many car-loads will that amount of 

 make, allowing 20.000 pounds to the car? 



