APPENDIX. 
379 
are divided pretty evenly between the two. The following table shows the orders 
represented, as well as tiie number of species and individuals in each, and these are 
further classified under the heads beneficial, injurious and neutral : 
Table showing the nature of the insect food in sixty-three stomachs of the 
Common Crow. 
Species. 
INDIVIDUALS. 
Bene- 
ficial. 
Inju- 
rious. 
Neu- 
tral. 
Total . 
Bene- 
ficial. 
Inju- 
rious. 
Neu- 
tral. 
Total. 
Hymenoptera 
16 
1 
17 
126 
8 
134 
Lepidoptera 
6 
. . . . 
6 
16 
16 
Diptera 
1 
1 
1 
1 
Coleoptera, 
23 
16 
8 
47 
85 
57 
32 
174 
Heiniptera 
1 
1 
3 
3 
1 
1 
1 
3 
Orthoptera 
17 
17 
150 
150 
Neuroptera, 
1 
1 
18 
18 
Total 
41 
41 
10 
02 
213 
232 
51 
496 
In addition to the true insects mentioned above, the stomachs contained remains of at Jeast three 
species of spiders and two of myriapods, sixteen specimens in all, and all beneficial. 
The order Coleoptera (beetles) is most numerously represented, and a majority 
of the species are beneficial. It is an interesting fact that no less than eighteen spe- 
cies of predaceous beetles {Cicindelidoe and CarabidcE) are included in this number, 
together with nearly a dozen species of the scavenger beetles {Scarabceidce). Some 
of these are species possessing disagreeable odors, and it is somewhat surprising 
that the crow should take them unless other food was scarce. They occur most 
abundantly, however, in stomachs taken in May, June and July, when other food 
must have been abundant. Among the injurious beetles identified are the flab 
headed apple-tree borer (Chrysobothris), of which a single specimen was found; 
May beetles {Lachno sterna) in five stomachs (nine specimens in one) ; and a few 
other borers and leaf-feeders. Three small weevils were taken from one stomach 
and considered “injurious insects,” as they are, but it is probable that they were 
hidden in kernels of corn which were eaten by the crow. 
The order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.) is well represented by one 
hundred and fifty specimens belonging to seventeen species. Twenty-eight stomachs 
contained examples of this order, and the results of stomach examination in this 
case bear out the statements of observers and show that in this direction the Avork 
done by the crow is entirely beneficial, as all these insects are more or less injurious. 
The order Hymenoptera, including the wasps, bees, ants, etc., is represented in 
the material taken from the crow stomachs by one hundred and thirty-four speci- 
mens belonging to seventeen species, all but one of which are beneficial. A species 
of saw fly, decidedly injurious, \A^as found in one stomach, and seven larvae of the 
same or another species in a second stomach. One of these stomachs, however, also 
contained the remains of a young bird, apparently a nestling, and it is not improba- 
ble that the saw flies came from this source. Two other stomachs contained remains 
of ichneumon flies belonging to different genera. These are among the most bene- 
ficial of insects, destroying particularly large numbers of caterpillars. 
Only one other order requires special mention, viz., the Lepidoptera. In this are 
included the butterflies and moths the larvae of which are almost invariably de- 
structive. Contrary to what might have been expected, the crow stomachs do not 
show many representatiA^es of this order. Six species, five of which are decidedly 
injurious, were recognized, but the sixteen specimens were distributed among nine 
stomachs. The family Noctuidce, which includes the cut-worms, was represented 
by nine specimens in six stomachs ; that is, but six crows out of eighty-six had 
eaten any cut-worms. 
In concluding this imperfect summary of the insectivorous habits of the Common 
Crow it must be conceded that the shoAving is not A^ery favorable for the bird. 
