84 BULLETIN 621, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Poultry and Their Eggs. 



The molesting of poultry by the crow is an injurious habit against 

 which protective measures are effective under any but the shift-by- 

 itself method of caring for fowls. A little attention to the screening 

 of young chicks and the suitable housing of nesting fowls will obviate 

 most losses of this kind. The trait appears to be one of the individual 

 crow working under favorable conditions. In breeding time, when 

 most losses of this kind are suffered, the destruction of a single near- 

 by nest of young crows will often put a stop to the nuisance. 



Small Mammals. 



Inasmuch as most of the small mammals destroyed by the crow 

 are rodents, the bird's activities in this direction are mainly beneficial. 



Annoyance of Live Stock. 



The molesting of such live stock as young lambs and swine, an 

 occasional habit of the crow when hard pressed for food, is to be 

 condemned. Fortunately such work is not common, and the aggre- 

 gate loss of this kind is negligible. 



Carrion. 



In the Southern States the crow ably supplements the work of the 

 turkey buzzard as a carrion feeder, while in the interior portions of 

 the North he is the principal scavenger among the land birds. 



Corn. 



Corn is the principal food of the adult crow. It is eaten m every 

 month of the year, and from October to January forms over half the 

 bird's diet. Much is waste grain, but in sprouting time and when 

 corn is " in the roasting ear," and even when it is ripe and standing 

 in the shocks the crow inflicts damage. Deterrents, as coal tar, on 

 the seed have greatly lessened losses of newly sown grain, though 

 the crow still reaps considerable toll. When " in the roasting ear " 

 the corn crop is especially subject to most annoying attacks, and for 

 this there is no effective remedy. The ripened grain seems less pal- 

 atable, and, while a large quantity is eaten, it is apparently taken 

 more from necessity than choice. Prompt harvesting of the crop 

 will greatly reduce such losses. 



Other Grain. 



Damage to wheat and oats is confined mainly to sowing and 

 sprouting time, and is by no means so universal or serious as the 

 pilfering of sprouting corn. 



