164 



Economic Status. The economic status of the Crow cannot be summed 

 up in a few words. It undoubtedly does much good but it also does much 

 harm. Moreover the harm is concentrated and easily measured whereas 

 the good is scattered and not easily estimated. The detailed results of 

 nearly a thousand stomach examinations and testimonies from all over 

 North America are published in Bulletin No. 6 of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, by W. A. Barrows and E. A. Schwarz. The 

 greatest complaint against the Crow in the east arises from its fondness for 

 sprouting grain, especially corn. Corn was found to constitute 29 per cent 

 of its annual food but strangely enough, from May to August, it constituted 

 only from 8 4 to 17 7 per cent and was greatest in December, 48 2 per cent, 

 when the grain must have represented gleanings from the bare fields. Insects 

 form a large part of the Crow's food and balancing the useful with the 

 harmful species, the result is obviously in the bird's favour. Mice and 

 other rodents and reptiles are also eaten very extensively and are preferred 

 to all other food. In the autumn, mast (acorns, beechnuts, etc.) is eagerly 

 sought. Judged by food habits alone, therefore, the Crow is a valuable 

 bird. However, this is not all the tale, for the Crow does harm that cannot 

 be overlooked. It matters little to a farmer that the Crows destroy all 

 the cutworms in a field if they also pull all the grain. On the whole, there 

 seems to be no very good reason for extending any greater measure of 

 protection to the Crow; it is in no danger of extinction and probably needs 

 to be controlled. 



FAMILY STURNIDJS. TRUE STARLINGS. 



The True Starlings constitute an Old World family separated from the 

 American Starlings by having among other distinctions ten instead of nine 

 primaries; the first may be rudimentary as in the species below an intro- 

 duced bird, not native, but the only representative of the family in America. 



Starling. FR. L'ETOURNEATJ VTTLGAIBE. Sturnus vulgaris. L, 8-50. About the 

 size of a Red-winged Blackbird but with shorter tail. In autumn, all metallic 

 black, sharply dotted all over with cream-buff V-shaped spots. In spring, with most of 

 the light spottings worn off, but with a yellow bill. Juvenile, greyish brown with whitish 

 throat. 



Distinctions. In spring, a Blackbird with a yellow bill, in autumn a Blackbird with 

 fine light specklings. Juvenile, a brownish Blackbird with whitish throat. In all seasons 

 a Blackbird with short tail. 



Field Marks. See distinctions. Has also a very strong, characteristicand un-black- 

 bird-like flight. 



Starling. FR. L'ETOTTRNEAU VTJLGAIRE. Sturnus vulgaris. L, 8-50. About the 

 size of, but rather more stoutly built than, the Baltimore Oriole. All metallic 

 black, sharply dotted all over with cream-buff V-markings. 



Distinctions. A small Blackbird with fine light specklings. 



Field Marks. See distinctions. 



Nesting. Large untidy masses of grass, twigs, and rubbish in crevices of buildings 

 and in hollow trees. Will occupy nest boxes. 



Distribution. Originally west and central Europe. Introduced in New York city 

 in 1890, it has spread over an ever widening area. After a few preliminary sight records 

 in southern Ontario it has finally been taken at Kingston. What its ultimate range in the 

 Dominion will be cannot be forecast. 



Economic Status. An investigation of the economic results to be 

 feared from this disturbing element introduced into American conditions 

 has been made by the United States Biological Survey with the following 

 results. As an effective destroyer of terrestrial insects the Starling has 



