32 BULLETIN 868, U. S. DEPARTMENT OE AGRICULTURE. 



nary corn forms 1.54 per cent of the diet, in February 2.03 per cent; 

 and in March 3.49 per cent, the largest proportion recorded for any 

 month. 



While the result of the examination of so large and thoroughly 

 representative a series of stomachs refutes all the extreme accusa- 

 tions against the starling as a corn eater, a discussion of field obser- 

 vations made in this connection will emphasize this point and show 

 where the blame lies. A number of complaints had come from the 

 vicinity of West Englewood, N. J. This section was visited in the 

 middle of August, when a survey of some of the most seriously dam- 

 aged fields was made. Much of the sweet corn had been harvested, 

 but there were still some fields of the late varieties in which 

 birds were at work, and in patches of early corn saved for seed a rec- 

 ord of their activities earlier in the season was found. A farmer of 

 West Englewood, who is familiar with the starling, reported that 

 starlings joined with red-wings in damaging his crop. A census of part 

 of a seed patch on his farm showed that of 863 ears of sweet corn 

 examined, 231 had been injured by birds, a percentage of over 26. 

 On another farm at Teaneek, N. J., fully 33 per cent of the seed 

 corn had been damaged. Examination of a field at River Edge, 

 N. J., revealed 100 damaged ears out of 297 inspected. Several other 

 seed patches in this general vicinity were even more seriously dam- 

 aged, in one case on several hundred stalks scarcely a single ear being 

 left unmutilated. 



An insight of what species were doing such work, and were prob- 

 ably also to blame for most of the injury to seed patches earlier, was 

 secured on a farm near West Englewood, N. J., on August 23. Here 

 a mixed flock of red-wings and grackles were feeding on a field of 

 sweet corn in which pickers were at work. The field was large and 

 the birds would feed in parts distant from the pickers. The owner 

 asserted that already he had 2,500 ears damaged, and that while 

 many of these were still salable they brought reduced prices, only 

 50 to 75 cents per 100 being paid instead of $2, the market value of 

 perfect ears at that time. A careful watch for several days in this 

 and surrounding fields failed to disclose a single starling feeding there, 

 while the red-wings and grackles spent little time elsewhere. Ju- 

 venile red-wings were generally considered starlings by the farmers 

 of this locality. 



On a few occasions the investigators observed starlings actually 

 tearing down the husks of corn and feeding on the kernels, but in no 

 case were starlings in large-sized flocks seen inflicting serious dam- 

 age. Positive incriminating testimony has come, however, from 

 other observers. A reliable observer of Glastonbury, Conn., has 

 seen flocks, composed entirely of starlings, doing damage to the corn 

 crop in two fields to the extent of 25 per cent and 10 per cent, respec- 



