O2 BULLETIN 868, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
uary corn forms 1.54 per cent of the diet, in February 2.03 per cent} 
and in March 3.49 per cent, the largest proportion recorded for any 
month. 
While the result of the examination of so large and thoroughly 
representative a series of stomachs refutes all the extreme accusa- 
tions against the starling as a corn eater, a discussion of field obser- 
vations made in this connection will emphasize this point and show 
where the blame les. A number of complaints had come from the 
vicinity of West Englewood, N. J. This section was visited in the 
middle of August, when a survey of some of the most seriously dam- 
aged fields was made. Much of the sweet corn had been harvested, 
but there were still some fields of the late varieties in which 
birds were at work, and in patches of early corn saved for seed a rec- 
ord of their activities earlier in the season was found. A farmer of 
West Englewood, who is familiar with the starling, reported that 
starlings joined with red-wings in damaging his crop. A census of pa. * 
of a seed patch on his farm showed that of 863 ears of sweet cor 
examined, 231 had been injured by birds, a percentage of over Z 
On another farm at Teaneck, N. J., fully 33 per cent of the se 1 
corn had been damaged. Examination of a field at River Ed: 
N. J., revealed 100 damaged ears out of 297 inspected. Several ot! 
seed patches in this general vicinity were even more seriously dé 
aged, in one case on several hundred stalks scarcely a single ear be 
left noonleiagk 
An insight of what species were doing such aoe and were p 
ably also to blame for most of the injury to seed patches earlier, - ‘s 
secured on a farm near West Englewood, N. J., on August 23. x) 
a mixed flock of red-wings and grackles were feeding on a fiel of 
sweet corn in which pickers were at work. The field was large ind 
the birds would feed in parts distant from the pickers. The o ser 
asserted that already he had 2,500 ears damaged, and that while 
many of these were still salable they brought reduced prices, only 
50 to 75 cents per 100 being paid instead of $2, the market value of 
perfect ears at that time. A careful watch for several days in this 
and surrounding fields failed to disclose a single starling feeding there, 
while the red-wings and grackles spent little time elsewhere. Ju- 
venile red-wings were generally considered starlings by the farmers 
of this locality. 
On a few occasions the investigators observed starlings actually 
tearing down the husks of corn and feeding on the kernels, but in no 
case were starlings in large-sized flocks seen inflicting serious dam- 
age. Positive incriminating testimony has come, hcwever, from 
other observers. A reliable observer of Glastonbury, Conn., has 
- seen flocks, composed entirely of starlings, doing damage to the corn 
crop in two fields to the extent of 25 per cent and 10 per cent, respec- 
