"eed BEAL, Mood of European Birds. 13 
tion, but asa great part of this was eaten in the months after 
August it would seem to an American farmer that it must be 
mostly waste grain picked up in the stubble fields. Leaves were 
eaten to the extent of 274 per cent and a large amount of these 
were leaves of clover. While a bird that eats clover leaves may 
be potentially harmful, it is evident that the birds must be wonder- 
fully abundant in order to do the clover much damage by simply 
eating the leaves. A great number might possibly hurt the forage 
by breaking it down and sitting upon it. Besides clover leaves, 
the Pigeon also eats the leaves of turnip and several weeds, as 
well as the seeds of beans, peas, clover, turnips, weeds and some 
trees. Roots and underground stems (mostly potatoes) are eaten 
to the extent of 84 per cent. Mr. Gilmour’s conclusions are 
entirely against the Pigeon. He says: “Though grain be left 
entirely out of court, the Pigeon stands utterly condemned by the 
heavy black score still standing against him for root-crop and 
clover-leaf destruction.” While we know nothing about this bird 
practically, we are inclined to think that further observation and 
thought will serve to render the score several shades lighter. 
Of the Starling, 175 stomachs were examined, collected in 
every month, though but few were taken in July, August, October 
and December. Like the Rooks and Wood Pigeons, the Starlings 
were all taken within a small area of country. With regard to 
the food in these stomachs, Mr. Gilmour says. “. . . Starlings 
are most monotonous in regard to diet. All the food-stuffs found 
in the crops and gizzards examined are conveniently grouped 
thus: (1) grubs; (2) insects, etc.; (3) cereal grains; (4) miscel- 
laneous.” 
Of these the first two amount to 70 per cent of the whole food, 
and the third to 22 per cent. This grain is very properly not 
reckoned as being very valuable, as the tables show that most of 
it was taken after harvest time, so that the comparative usefulness 
of the bird is made to depend upon the character of the insect 
food. Mr. Gilmour does not seem to have any very definite 
method of determining comparative quantities of food, for he 
says: “ The ow much of each kind cannot, of course, be stated ; 
but the impression which one gets from careful and close examin- 
ation of the contents of any large batch of Starlings is that the 
