58 THE IMPORTANCE OF BIRD LIFE 



an open- field and the bones are picked free of 

 flesh within a few hours. 



But vultures do not inhabit all regions; they 

 do not care for too temperate a climate. There 

 crows and ravens take their place. As scavengers 

 these are almost as efficient, but, owing to their 

 smaller size and inconsiderable digestive capa- 

 city, they cannot as individuals consume as much 

 carrion. Crows were at their best on the battle- 

 front during the late war. In America they prove 

 of immense sanitary value by devouring the dead 

 fish and mussels which have been cast upon the 

 beaches by the waves. The grackles also aid 

 materially in this. 



GruUs as scavengers are quite as accomplished 

 as crows. They are the guardians of our har- 

 bors. Drifting offal proves more alluring to 

 them than living organisms. Every vessel as it 

 puts out to sea is followed for miles by hovering 

 flocks in search of morsels tossed overboard. 

 The waters of New York Harbor are daily swept 

 by their wings as the gulls scan the surface for 

 floating debris. Hundreds of tons of foul gar- 

 bage is thus destroyed which, if left to the mercy 

 of the tides, would be swept ashore to pollute the 

 air with noisome odors and to breed disease. All 

 of them — vultures, crows, and gulls — make the 

 world a cleaner place to live in. 



