APPENDIX. 367 



THE FOOD OF CROWS. 



By WALTER B. BARROWS, S. B., Assistant Ornithologist. 



The economic status of the Common Crow (Corvus americanus) has been dis- 

 cussed so often, and yet with such uncertain results, that it was one of the first birds 

 to receive attention when the division was organized in 1885, being particularly men- 

 tioned in the circular issued that year. Several hundred replies to the questions 

 contained in that circular were received during that and the following year, and 

 much additional information was collected by subsequent correspondence. A re- 

 quest for stomachs of the crow was contained in the circular issued in 1886, and, 

 although the responses to this have not been as numerous as could be desired, a 

 number of correspondents have given material assistance, so that it is possible to 

 append to the present paper the results of the dissection of eighty-six stomachs of 

 the Common Crow (Corvus americanus) and twelve of the Fish Crow (Corvus ossi- 

 fragus). Thus the material at hand for a study of the food of crows, though by no 

 means abundant, is nevertheless considerable, and sufficient progress has been 

 made in its investigation to justify the publication of some of the results. One of 

 the main objects of the present paper, however, is to call the attention of farmers 

 and others to the disputed and unsettled questions relating to the crow and to secure 

 their aid and cooperation in collecting evidence which will hasten a final settle- 

 ment of these points. 



It is unnecessary at the present time to refer to the numerous contributions to our 

 knowledge of the crows' habits made from time to time during the last centurj^, but 

 it may be broadly stated that but three strong points in its favor have ever been 

 claimed for the crow even by its warmest friends : These are (1) the habit of de- 

 stroying injurious insects ; (2) the habit of catching mice ; and (3) the habit of eat- 

 ing carrion. A few writers, mainly men of very limited experience, have main- 

 tained, it is true, that the crow never does any harm worth mentioning ; but the 

 more rational of his defenders admit freely that a large amount of damage is done 

 but claim that this is more than compensated by the good habits just specified. Of 

 these, the carrion-feeding and mouse-eating habits have been the weaker arguments, 

 and the place of the crow as a beneficial bird has rested mainly on the ground of its 

 supposed services in the destruction of noxious insects. 



On the other hand, the injuries inflicted by the crow are more varied, those most 

 commonly complained of being : 



(1) Destruction of young grain, particularly Indian corn on first coming up. 



(2) Destruction of ripe or ripening corn and other grain. 



(3) Destruction of ripe or ripening fruits of some kinds. 



(4) Destruction of various other vegetable products. 



(5) Destruction of the eggs and young of poultry. 



(6) Destruction of the eggs and young of wild birds. 



Nearly every one in the least familiar with the habits of the crow will readily 

 admit that the bird is more or less beneficial or injurious in the ways indicated 

 above, but the greatest diversity of opinion exists as to the degree of benefit or injury 

 to be assigned to each category. 



The division has succeeded in bringing together a large amount of opinion on 

 these points, and a considerable amount of what may be regarded properly as evi- 

 ilcnt-c.. Moreover, some additional charges against the crow have been preferred 

 and some further claims of merit are brought forward. Statements of mere opinion 



