46 TJie Hortiadtural Value of the Crow. 



entirely unknown to us. This ignorance is owing, principally, to the 

 difficulty attending such investigations, — the killing of great numbers of 

 birds in all the seasons when they are found with us, which is absolutely 

 necessary, but which is extremely distasteful to most persons ; and it has 

 been aggravated somewhat by the contradictory statements of various 

 persons in different localities regarding the food of some species that 

 they have had the means of observing. 



Of these birds, none have given rise to more controversy than the 

 Corvidffi, in which are placed our crows and jays ; and I propose to discuss 

 briefly here this interesting topic, and bring a few facts and arguments, 

 founded on reason or actual observation, to show their actual value on 

 the farm. 



Until very recently,! have been the earnest advocate of these birds, and 

 have believed that the benefits they render much more than balance the 

 injuries they inflict ; but I must say, that, after careful consideration, my 

 faith in their utility is sadly shaken. 



At the outset, I will say that I have kept specimens in captivit)^ ; and 

 have, by actual observation, proved that at least eight ounces of such food 

 as frogs, fish, &c., are eaten daily by our common crow. Of course, like 

 other birds, it can live on a very limited allowance ; but I think that the 

 above is a reasonable amount : however, to be absolutely within bounds, we 

 will fix the food of the crow to be equal to five ounces of animal matter 

 per diem. Beginning, then, with the new year, we will follow the life of 

 this bird through all the seasons, and then compare the results arrived at 

 together, good and bad. 



During the months of January, February, and March, when the face of 

 the country is covered with snow, the insects being dormant, and the small 

 birds away to more southern districts, most of the crows migrate from New 

 England ; and the few that remain depend upon a scanty subsistence of 

 seeds of wild plants and weeds, acorns, apples that have been left on the 

 trees in the orchard, and frozen ; and they occasionally capture a field-mouse 

 that strays from its nest in the stubble-field or swamp. The life of 

 the crow during these months is one continued starvation ; and the expres- 

 sion, "poor as a crow," may be applied to it, as well describing its 

 condition. It succeeds in finding a few cocoons of Lepidopterous insects ; 

 meets occasionally with a caterpillar or beetle ; and, on the whole, its labors 



