Destruction by Natural Enemies 33 



Crows, useful as they are at most seasons, 

 often get the nest-robbing habit, and when they 

 do they become a source of great distress and 

 disaster to the small birds. A few of these, like 

 the kingbird and red-winged blackbird, seemingly 

 by the great vigor of their attacks, are able to 

 drive the crows away, but many others fail to 

 do this and their nests are pillaged with impunity. 

 Many a time in the breeding season have I seen 

 a crow sneaking through the trees and bushes 

 where he had no legitimate business, evidently 

 hunting for birds' nests, but with no positive 

 evidence against him until the frantic cries of 

 parent birds called attention to the thief flying 

 off^ with the nestlings in his bill. Not long ago 

 a crow came into a garden on the main street of 

 Meriden, and was seen flying off with his bill 

 filled to overflowing with young robins. He had 

 carried off the whole brood at once. Not all 

 crows perhaps have the nest-robbing habit, but 

 those which do are not only destructive them- 

 selves but may possibly spread the habit among 

 their brethren. 



Some of the owls also are destructive to 

 smaller birds, but usually their vices are not 

 unmixed with virtues. For instance, the great 

 horned owl, while he sometimes kills crows and 

 grouse and other useful birds, is a notorious 



