434 AGRICULTURE 



Mourning doves live principally on weed seed, with a 

 small proportion of waste grain. 



Cuckoos live chiefly on caterpillars, grasshoppers, 

 beetles, moths and other harmful insects. 



The red-headed woodpecker makes three-quarters of his 

 diet consist of harmful insects, and most of the rest of 

 weed seed and wild fruit. 



The night hawk is especially fond of flying ants, but also 

 eats grasshoppers, beetles and bugs. 



Bank swallows and barn swallows live almost entirely 

 on flies, various species of flying beetles, ants and weevils. 



The grosbeaks are among the most useful of our birds. 

 They are particularly fond of potato beetles, and have done 

 much to rid the farmers of this pest. They also eat other 

 harmful insects. 



The barn owl lives principally on mice, rats and rab- 

 bits. While he captures an occasional chicken, he does far 

 more good than harm and should be protected. 



The crow is usually looked upon as a thief and a rob- 

 ber. There is no doubt that the crow does pull up young 

 corn, rob birds' nests and occasionally kill chickens. Yet 

 the crow is so fond of beetles, grasshoppers, bugs and other 

 crop enemies that his virtues exceed his vices and he should 

 be counted as a friend. 



Other useful birds. It will not be necessary to ex- 

 tend this list, which might be made to include scores of 

 birds that join with the farmer in his efforts to rid the 

 crops of insect pests. Among the many species that should 

 be encouraged and protected are : meadowlark, house wren, 

 song sparrow, oriole, scissor-tail fly catcher, mocking-bird, 

 blue jay, red-winged blackbird, cardinal, red-headed wood- 

 pecker, killdeer, screech owl, robin, bluebird, snow bird, 

 warbler, kinglet. In general, the birds are the farmer's 

 friends and deserve his good will. 



