110 BIRDS OF A MARYLAND FARM. 



receives. Bluebirds no longer nest on the Bryan farm, though a few 

 pairs with their broods enter it during the summer to feed. But they 

 were abundant there until ousted by the Engli.sh sparrows,, and nested 

 all about the place. A characteristic nesting spot in an old stump on 

 the front lawn of the house is shown in PI. XVII, fig. 2. One of 

 the most serious charges that can be brought against the English 

 sparrow is the usurpation of the dooryard homes of these beautiful, 

 gentle, and highly useful birds. 



VIII.— SUMMARY. 



The following conclusions are drawn solely with reference to the 

 relationship of birds to the farmers at Marshall Hall; and while to a 

 certain extent they indicate the general relationship of birds to agri- 

 cultural interests, A'et special conditions, of these particular farms as 

 well as any others, sometimes have a modifying influence that must be 

 taken into account. 



At Marshall Hall the English sparrow, the sharpshinned and Cooper 

 hawks, and the great horned owl are, as everywhere, inimical to the 

 farmers' interests and should be killed at every opportunity. The sap- 

 sucker punctures orchard trees extensivelj^ and should be shot. The 

 study of the crow is unfavorable in results so far as these particular 

 farms are concerned, partly because of special conditions. Its work 

 in removing carrion and destroying insects is serviceable, but it does 

 so much damage to game, poultry, fruit, and grain that it more than 

 counterbalances this good and should be reduced in numbers. The crow 

 blackbird appears to be purely beneficial to these farms during the 

 breeding season and feeds extensively on weed seed during migration, 

 but at the latter time it is very injurious to grain. More detailed 

 observations are necessarv to determine its proper status at Marshall 

 Hall. 



The remaining species probably do more good than harm, and 

 except under unusual conditions should receive encouragement by the 

 owners of the farms. Certain species, such as flycatchers, swallows, 

 and warblers, prey to some extent upon useful parasitic insects, but on 

 the whole the habits of these insectivorous birds are productive of 

 considerable good. Together with the vireos, cuckoos, and wood- 

 peckers (exclusive of the sapsuckers), they are the most valuable con- 

 servators of foliage on the farms. The quail, meadowlark, orchard 

 oriole, mockingbird, house wren, grasshopper sparrow, and chipping 

 sparrow feed on insects of the cultivated fields, particularly during 

 the breeding season, when the nestlings of practically all species eat 

 enormous numbers of caterpillars and grasshoppers. 



The most evident service is the wholesale destruction of weed seed. 

 Even if birds were useful in no other way, their preservation would 



