T2 



FOOD OF BOBOLINK, BLACKBIRBS, 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 anj^ 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 decidedl}^ prefers is small €i-us- 

 taceans, and these, so far as the interests of agriculture are concerned, 

 are entirelv 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-de^ned service in return. 



DISTRIBUTION OF STOMACHS. 



Jjislrihiilioii of MdiiKiclis, III/ inoidlts mid Stall' 

 HOBOLl.NK. 



States. 





1 



1 



i 



< 



n 



i 



3 



< 



1 

 1 



1 



1 

 o 



1 



Total. 









1 



8 



i 

 -1 





25 











17 

















2 

 4 



. 





1 







Iowa 



















2 



Xaiisus 





















4 











31 



2 



2 



■' 



4 



































1 



3 

 9 

 10 

 34 

 13 

 10 





















































New York 









11 10 



6 

 7 

 9 

 3 



1 









ff> 













•X) 











Pennsylvania ' 









4 



5 









48 



Rhodtj Island ! 









1 











South Carolina 









i 





2 









2 









i 



2 







Texas 1 ' 







3 

 3 















3 



Virginia... ' ' 











1 



15 



1 









19 



West Virginia 





















Wisconsin 









3 3 

 1 



62 1 -11 



3 



8 









17 





































Total 







45 



103 



50 







291 





1 



















