42 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan. 



its snug retreat, the bark or other covering of the luckless 

 insect is torn away, and the crawling creature is captured. 



Crows, Jays and Blackbirds. 



The American crow and blue jay, both resident species in 

 Massachusetts, although known to destroy many species of 

 noxious insects, are not regarded with particular favor by 

 naturalists who have carefully studied their habits, or the 

 close-observing farmer who has watched their actions. 



Crows and jays are omnivorous ; in addition to feeding on 

 numerous kinds of insects, they subsist on small fruits and 

 berries, and destroy the eggs and young of domestic fowls ; 

 and they also devour the eggs and young of many species of 

 other wild birds, such as robins, doves, blackbirds, etc. 



The crow blackbird ( Quiscalus quiscula ceneus) and the 

 red-winged or swamp blackbird are common summer resi- 

 dents in Massachusetts. The crow blackbird, like the jay 

 and crow, is omnivorous, he devours the eggs and young 

 of other kinds of wild birds ; cereals, garden fruits and 

 different berries are also eaten by him. In the late sum- 

 mer and fall months the crow blackbird at times commits 

 serious depredations in the grain fields ; but at other 

 seasons of the year, when found here, he subsists chiefly on 

 insects and their larvee. The red-winded blackbird is not 

 known to disturb the eggs or young of other birds. Red- 

 winged blackbirds during their residence in this locality 

 subsist mainly on an insect bill of fare. In the autumn, 

 when they assemble in flocks, preparatory to migrating 

 southward, they sometimes visit grain fields in the neigh- 

 borhood of the marshes, and inflict more or less damage. 



The Sparrow Family. 

 Between thirty and forty species of the sparrow family 

 (Fringittidce) occur in Massachusetts, and about twenty are 

 said to breed here. Of this lame number the English 

 sparrow is the only species regarded by naturalists as being 

 detrimental to the interests of agriculture. The English or 

 European house sparrow, an abundant resident about build- 

 ings, nests in bird boxes, holes in trees or branches of trees, 

 in vines and in various places about houses and other build- 



