No. 4.] THE CROW IN MASSACHUSETTS. 2«5 



up the corn or by pullini;- up the young shoots to get at the 

 kernel. We have heard sonu> coni[)laint also in regard to 

 the destruction of corn in the ear. It must not be inferred, 

 however, that when crows are at work in the corn field they 

 are always eating corn. On the other hand, crows have been 

 shot in Massachusetts corn fields apparently engaged in 

 pulling corn, w^hose stomachs, when examined, showed no 

 trace of grain, but were largely filled with the white grub of 

 the IMay beetle (^Lachnosterna fu.sixi), and various cut 

 worms. 



Crows are undoubtedly somewhat destructive to fruit, as 

 they have been observed to eat apples, wild grapes and both 

 wild and cultivated cherries. 



Farmers when engaged in planting have occasionally ob- 

 served crows digging up sections of potatoes and carrying 

 them away from the hill. Mr. Mosher reports having seen 

 crows in the fall in the act of carrying off such potatoes as 

 were not entirely covered 1)y the soil. Several reports have 

 also been received of the destruction of the eggs and young 

 of poultry by crows ; and in these cases the observers actually 

 saw the crows in the act. Mr. Farley says that in southern 

 Bristol County, near the sea-shore, crows have ])een seen 

 to kill well-grown chickens and are very troublesome. It 

 seems probable that certain individuals among crows become 

 addicted to the habit of destroying the eggs and young of 

 poultry and sniall birds. It would appear from all the evi- 

 dence obtainable, that in this region much harm may be done 

 by such crows by the destruction of wild birds and their 

 eggs. Some crows appear to be inveterate nest robbers. 

 In Florida, in New England and on the Pacific coast the 

 writer has observed that, where herons or sea foAvl breed in 

 large numbers, the crows congregate for the purpose of rob- 

 bing their nests. In the "rookeries" of several species of 

 Florida herons, in those of the night herons of New England 

 and in breeding places of gulls and guillemots on the Pacific 

 coast, crows appear to be always on the watch, and when- 

 ever either herons or sea birds leave their nests the crows 

 hasten at once to feed on the unprotected eggs. Piercing 

 them with their bills, they quickly eat or suck out the con- 

 tents. This trait of the crow is well known to all obser^ inir 



