TESTIMONY RESPECTING DESTRUCTION OF CORN. 77 



the first fortnight are rarely fed any corn at all, nearly all the food 

 given them being animal. This is in accord with what is known of 

 other birds that are general feeders, and might have been predicted 

 after the essentially carnivorous habits of the adults were established. 



Almost invariably the stomachs of very young Crows were devoid of 

 any trace of corn, while the stomachs which contained large quantities 

 were those of birds at least half grown, and in many cases described 

 by the collectors as ' full fledged,' * ready to leave nest,' or ' already 

 out of nest.' Young birds of this size are apt to call continually for 

 food, and their parents are compelled to work industriously to keep 

 them alive. 



In the case of corn in the milk the quantity destroyed is even less 

 than that of sprouting corn. Allowing a month (middle of August to 

 middle of September) as the average period when corn is in the milk 

 in the region from which most of the stomachs came, it is found that 

 less than 7 percent of the corn, or less than 2 percent of the total food, 

 is corn in the milk. 



Testimony from observers respecting the destruction of corn. — The fol- 

 lowing extracts from correspondents are selected from a large number. 



From Charles Eshorn, jr., Medora, Ind., 1892 : 



Crows destroy a great deal of corn in this section of the country, hoth at planting 

 androasting-ear time. Just after the young corn shoots (or sprouts) are through the 

 ground, the crows pull up a great many grains, often damaging a field so much that 

 it must be replanted. The extent of the damage done in this way is about 5 

 per cent. But they do most mischief while the corn is in the milk. They tear 

 away the husks from the end, but rarely eat more than two or three dozen grains 

 from each ear, but they tear open as many as a dozen ears in one day. An ordinary 

 flock of 40 or 50 Crows feeding on a field of corn for a week, each Crow damaging 

 12 ears per day, would do considerable damage — say 5 percent. 



From Dr. M. McKenzie, Centerville, Eeynolds County, Mo., 1889: 



As to corn, they take it from the time it shows above ground till there is no ves- 

 tige of grain at its roots, then rest till it begins to silk ; then they begin to tear the 

 shuck, and keep at it as long as left in the field, doing more damage by the torn ear 

 taking water and rotting than what they eat, although they eat lots. I had to 

 replant three times, and then did not get a stand. 



From A. R. Bellwood, Drewrys Bluff, Ya, 1891: 



In the spring they settle in large flocks on the newly sown fields and eat the grain 

 that has not been covered. They commit the greatest havoc in the cornfields, 

 beginning to pull it out as soon as any of the corn is up, and continuing until it is 3 

 or 4 inches high. When the sprout breaks off they rapidly dig the earth from over 

 the grain and secure it even though it be quite deep. In this manner a small num- 

 ber of Crows do a great amount of damage. * * * In the fall, before the corn 

 has become hard, large flocks often alight on the largest ears and tear the husks 

 from the upper side near the end. They not only devour the corn, but leave the ear 

 so exposed that the rain gets under the husk and rots a large portion of what they 

 do not eat. Some farmers have told me that they only interfere with the ears that 

 contain worms, but I know with certainty that such is not the case. 



