New Jerfey, Raccoon. 79 



ble. But after thefe enemies and deftroyers 

 of the worms (the maize-thieves) were ex- 

 tirpated, the worms were more at liberty 

 to multiply; and therefore they grew fo 

 numerous, that they did more mifchief now 

 than the birds did before. In the fummer 

 1 749, the worms left fo little hay in New 

 England, that the inhabitants were forced to 

 get hay from Penfyhania, and even from 

 Old England. The maize -thieves have ene- 

 mies befides the human fpecies. A fpecies 

 of little hawks live -upon them, and uoon 

 other little birds. I faw fome of thefe hawks 

 driving up the maize-thieves, which were 

 in the greateft fecurity, and catching them 

 in the air. Nobody eats thefleih of the pur- 

 ple maize-thieves or daws (Gracnla quifculaj; 

 but that of the red-winged maize-thieves, 

 or flares (Oriolus Phamiceus) is fometimes 

 eaten. Some old people have told me, that 

 this part of America, formerly called New 

 Sweden, ftill contained as many maize- 

 thieves as it did formerly. The caufe of 

 this they derive from the maize, which is 

 now fown in much greater Quantity than 

 formerly ; and they think that the birds can 

 get their food with more eafe at prefent. 



• The American whortleberry, or the Vac- 

 cinium hifpidulum, is extremely abundant 



over 



