72 FOOD OF BOBOLINK, BLACKBIRDS, AND GRACKLES. 
SUMMARY. 
In summing up the results of the stomach examinations it is evident 
that no very salient points in favor of the boat-tailed grackle have come 
to light. In its insect food it has no very pronounced preferences, and 
while it does not cause any great havoc among useful insects, it does 
not prey extensively upon harmful ones. In common with most other 
land birds, it eats grasshoppers freely in July and August, and it 
would probably eat caterpillars as well if it found them more plentiful 
than other food. The animal food it decidedly prefers is small crus- 
tuceans, and these, so far as the interests of agriculture are concerned, 
are entirely neutral. 
In its vegetable diet, the bird certainly does not commend itself to 
the agriculturist. Its preference for corn is very marked and shows 
no variance with the change of season. That it visits the growing 
crop for its supplies is evident from the fact that much of the corn 
found in the stomachs during the early summer was ‘in the milk.’ In 
any locality, therefore, where this grackle is very abundant it must 
almost, necessarily be harmful to the corn crop without rendering any 
well-defined service in return. 
DISTRIBUTION OF STOMACHS. 
Distribution of stomachs, by months and States. 
BOBOLINK. 
é wR ba s 
ez ae: x | 3 8 
States. 2/5/41]. : 3] E | 8 | & | @ | Total. 
ele |e (Bla /s/F/28/)/8)/818/8 
3 ee s s 5 Ss i) 2 2 
5 is A 4 a 5 5 < wn ° A a 
CONNEC. Masccleeeoeel sence ee aurd Memes 25 
Dist.of Columbited| 2-5.) neae cet dll eeclad| us: 21 
GEOG cecaimommmeliamnclecosenbaven fuecagy 9 
TOW co! disco iste sercraidrarcl| Gas adb-cl eaeeooleaee cull eases 2 
RSAS wie cetotocnnl mene cabysce ts veel seine 4 
Massachusetts al isis tare eae 3 2 Gl eaceentel weeks || ean eal nad sarall ences 9 
Michigan .. albguemcnl mated 2 eed me cb veecciel eycisctel, Aisicion Miaavaia| Anau asics 2 
Minnesota . " =e 10 
HW Ca) £01 eee . ae 9 
New Jersey........ eo 10 
New York.......-. 62 
North Dakota 21 
Pennsylvania .. 48 
Rhode Island...... 3 
South Carolina .... 2 
South Dakota ..... 2 
ROXAS: eco cron esuianye 3 
Virginia ..... 19 
West Virginia ..... ; Tt 
Wisconsin v7 
Ontario, Canada ... 12 
TOUR wanwe soy 291 
