68 THE COMMON CROW. 



TESTIMONY FROM CORRESPONDENTS RESPECTING THE INSECT FOOD 



OF THE CROW. 



During the past ten years the division of ornithology has received 

 statements from more than a thousand observers respecting the food 

 habits of the Crow. So far as the insect food is concerned, most of 

 these statements are of little value, because from the nature of the 

 case it was impossible to tell what species of insects were eaten. Aside 

 from such sweeping and groundless assertions as < Crews eat no insects 

 at all/ and i Crows eat insects of all kinds, 7 scores of statements were 

 received which were obviously incorrect, although evidently made with 

 perfect sincerity. On the other hand, it is of interest to note how fully 

 many of the more explicit statements are confirmed by the examina- 

 tion of stomachs. For example, the habit of catching grasshoppers 

 was observed and reported by many correspondents, and the same is 

 true of the May beetle or June beetle (Laclmo sterna) and its larva, the 

 white grub. The Crow's habit of following the plow was noticed more 

 than a hundred years ago, and the principal error made by many of our 

 correspondents lies in the assumption that the bird devours indiscrimi- 

 nately all the different insects thus exposed. Among the most common 

 mistakes may be mentioned the case of the Colorado potato beetle 

 (Doryphora 10-lineata), upon which the Crow was reported to feed by 

 many observers. The fact that not a single trace of this beetle was 

 found in any of the 909 stomachs, 500 of which were collected at times 

 and places favoring its capture, must be taken as proof positive that 

 the Crow rarely, if ever, touches this pest. The farther fact that only 

 four species (each represented by one or two individuals) belonging to 

 the same family as the potato beetle (Chrysomelida3) were found in the 

 stomachs shows clearly that insects of this kind are thoroughly dis- 

 liked by the Crow. 



Following are a few examples of the voluminous testimony received 

 from correspondents : 



California, San Bernardino. — F. Stephens: The Crow is in the habit of following 

 the plow, picking up cutworms, white grubs, larvae, etc., sometimes in large quanti- 

 ties. 1885. 



Canada, Ontario, London. — W. E. Saunders: Last summer (1885) I watched a 

 flock of probably 2,000 crows catching grasshoppers. 



Connecticut, East Hartford.— Willard E. Treat: Worms and grasshoppers are 

 destroyed by Crows ; they eat large quantities of grasshoppers and the large white 

 grub usually found in cornfields, especially in August. 1885. 



South Woodstock. — Mrs. G. L. F. Stoddard: The Crow has been observed to feed 

 upon cutworms and grubs that live just beneath the surface and are more readily 

 exposed by the pulling up of the corn, which the cutworms and grubs would destroy. 

 1886. 



Indiana, Broolcville. — A. W. Butler: The Crow feeds on the seventeen-year cicada. 

 1885. 



Medora — Charles Eshorn, jr. : I have noticed them every season walking over a 

 meadow just after the hay has been cut, catching grasshoppers, but I have never 



