380 BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



Considering merely the testimony of observers, the conclusion would be favorable 

 in the main, for it appears that the crow eats insects throughout the season, at many 

 times in large quantities, and often of the most injurious kinds. To be sure, they 

 are mainly terrestial or subterranean kinds, but they are decidedly injurious in the 

 main, and few, if any, beneficial insects are said to be taken. 



In the light of the stomach examinations, however, the case assumes a different 

 complexion, for although the evidence from this source confirms in some respects 

 the testimony of observers, it indicates also that beneficial and injurious insects are 

 taken in nearly equal quantities, and thus the good done at one time may be fully 

 neutralized at another. The force of this point is much weakened by the small 

 number of stomach examinations made, and by the fact that so few crows were taken 

 during the summer months ; but the indications point to an omnivorous habit in 

 general, and to the destruction of good and bad insects indiscriminately. 



As has been suggested by many previous writers and reiterated by numbers of 

 our own observers, the harm done in the destruction of eggs and young of insectiv- 

 orous birds during spring and early summer is beyond all computation ; and it is 

 difficult for one familiar with the magnitude of the crow's iniquity in this direction 

 to believe that any destruction of injurious insects or other animals can fully atone 

 for it. Yet even here another factor should be taken into account, as it must be 

 borne in mind that many of the small birds killed by the crow are not strictly in- 

 sectivorous, while some of them, in their thefts of fruit and other crops, continually 

 tend to even their own accounts with the farmer, and occasionally even overdraw 

 them. 



THE CROW AS AN ENEMY TO FIELD MICE AND OTHER SMALL QUADRUPEDS. 



Aside from the insect-eating habits of the crow its most beneficial trait probably is 

 the killing of field mice. Of these it is a great destroyer, hunting up the nests and 

 devouring young and old whenever they can be caught. There is abundance of 

 evidence that crows are very skilful at such hunting, and undoubtedly they form 

 one of the strong checks on the increase of these prolific and destructive rodents. 

 Among the reports of our correspondents are twelve which mention this habit of 

 mouse-hunting, and from these we select a few : 



From James O. Whittemore, Fairfield, Me. : 



I have observed crows catching insects and field mice all the year round. The general im- 

 pression among farmers is to tolerate crows at all seasons except the early spring. 



From F. A. Sampson, Sedalia, Mo. : 



After mowing I have seen crows feeding on what I supposed to be grasshoppers ; they also 

 catch and eat mice. 



We have received one report also from William J. Howerton, of Florence, Ariz., 

 who writes as follows : 



The Common Crow of this section is of some economic value, as I have observed it catching 

 and killing the common pocket gopher. 



MISCELLANEOUS ANIMAL FOOD OF THE CROW. 



Probably no family of birds in existence is more truly omnivorous than the crows; 

 almost anything eatable is utilized when hunger presses, though at other times 

 they are more scrupulous about their food. It is useless, therefore, to attempt to 

 give a complete category of the items which may enter into the crow's diet, and as 

 many of them have no bearing on the economic aspects of the question it is unnec- 

 essary to dwell on the subject here ; any one who is curious to know exactly what 

 ninety-eight crows had eaten just before they were killed can consult the list of 

 stomach examinations with which this paper concludes. 



The animal matter contained in the stomachs of eighty-six common crows exam- 

 ined was as follows : 



