66 FOOD OF BOBOLINK, BLACKBIRDS, AND GEACKLES. 



According to reports from the Southern States, crow blackbirds 

 prey upon rice in company with other blaclsbirds and the bobolink, 

 but unfortunately the collection contains few stomachs from this 

 region, so that no corroborative evidence is at hand. 



Although fruit of some kind is eaten in ever}^ month from IVEarch to 

 December, inclusive, it does not become important until June. In 

 June, Jul}^, and August it reaches 7, 13, and 10 percent, respec- 

 tivel3^ This aggregate is made up from a number of elements (see 

 p. 64), but the only ones likely to possess any economic interest 

 are blackberries, raspberries, cherries, currants, grapes, and apples. 

 Apple pulp was found in 3 stomachs, grapes in 3, currants in 1, cherries 

 ih 37 in June and 11 in July, and strawberries in 7. The blackberries 

 and raspberries were the favorites, and made up the great bulk of the 

 fruit eaten. They were eaten from Ma^^ to September, inclusive, but 

 only a few in each month, except in Julv and August, when the}'^ were 

 found in 96 and 68 stomachs, respectively. When we consider that 

 the latter fruits are much more abundant in the wild than in the 

 cultivated state, and bear in mind the small amount of other fruit 

 eaten, it certainly must appear that the damage to fruit by crow black- 

 birds is of no great moment. None of the wild fruits mentioned in 

 the ta))le were found in large quantities or in man}^ stomachs. 



Mast, under which term are included chestnuts, chinquapins, acorns, 

 and beechnuts, forms quite an important element in the fall and early 

 spring months. It constitutes the principal part of the vegetable food 

 of the 7 stomachs taken in January and does not appear in the 8 Feb- 

 ruary stomachs to an important extent; but this record, based on only 

 15 stomachs, can not be considered very reliable. It composes about 

 10 percent of the March food, but decreases through the ensuing 

 months till September, when it again becomes an important element 

 and so continues through the rest of the year. 



Weed seeds form another interesting element of vegetable food and 

 are of considerable importance in the colder months. Begmning in 

 February, they constitute more than 7 percent of the food, increase 

 slightly in March, and then gradually diminish until they almost dis- 

 appear in June, but again increase to a maximum of more than 11 

 percent in October. As all the plants included in this category are 

 nuisances, it is, perhaps, needless to say that by eating their seeds 

 the birds are doing good work. 



The mineral component of the stomach contents possesses little, 

 if any, economic interest, but it is curious to note how many differ- 

 ent things a blackbird can pick up. Sand, gravel, pieces of brick, 

 bits of mortar, plaster of paris, charcoal, hard coal, and cinders were 

 the most common of the various hard substances which helped to line 

 the mill in which their grist was ground. A glass bead was found in 

 one stomach. Much of the gravel from stomachs of birds taken in 



