370 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 
evidence that they pull young corn for any other purpose than to get the kernel at 
t lie root. 
The depredations of the common crow do not cease, except temporarily, when the 
young plants are too well rooted to be pulled with ease. After the ears are formed 
and the kernels well filled out the crow again visits the corn-fields, and sometimes 
does serious damage. At that time the young are as large as their parents, several 
families are commonly associated in a flock, and such a party is capable of a large 
amount of mischief in a comparatively short time. About fifty complaints of inj ury 
to “green corn,” “corn in the milk,” “ roasting ears,” and “ripening corn,” have 
been received. 
Injury to Other Cereals than Corn. 
Although the crow attacks and injures other grains than corn its depredations on 
these crops are far less general and serious. About fifty reports of such injury have 
been received, the losses complained of relating to wheat, rye, oats, barley, and rice. 
As with corn, the greatest damage is done by pulling up the sprouting grain, but 
more or less is eaten while ripening, or even when hard. 
Damage to Other Crops. 
About a dozen reports, nearly all from New England and Canada, mention the 
crow as destructive to potatoes, the worst mischief being done by pulling up the 
young plants in order to get the partly decayed pieces planted as “ seed.” Occasion¬ 
ally sweet potatoes and beans are pulled up in the same way, and in rome of the 
southern states the crow digs up peanuts, both as seed and when ripening, some¬ 
times causing considerable loss. The following notes from correspondents illustrate 
this class of injuries : 
From S. F. Cheney, Grand Manan, New Brunswick : 
The crow will take the potato seed out of the hill and pull up the potatoes when nearly ready 
to hoe. 
From Manly Hardy, Brewer, Me.: 
1 have known newly planted potatoes to be destroyed by^the acre. Have only known crows 
to attack potatoes within a few years (1885.) 
From Charles F. Goodhue, Webster, N. H.: 
Crows are very troublesome some years by pulling corn and digging up newly planted pota¬ 
toes, destroying both just as they appear above ground. The damage done to corn and potatoes 
varies from a few hills to nearly two acres. Sometimes nearly the whole crop is destroyed. 
From Walter Hoxie, Frogmore, S. C.: 
The crow destroys seed corn and rice invariably, unless tarred. It is yet more destructive to 
peanuts and sweet potatoes. 
From John M. Richardson, Daingerfield, Tex.: 
I have known the crow, assembling in immense tlocks, to do great harm to the pindar (peanut) 
crop in South Carolina. As the nuts approach maturity the fields had to be guarded by men and 
boys with guns from early dawn to late dusk. 
In some parts of the country the crow seems to have acquired a taste for water¬ 
melons, doing no little damage to this important crop. Mr. H. E. Van Deman states 
that at one time, on his farm at Genoa, Kans., he was obliged to cover some of 
his watermelons with grass, weeds, etc., in order to protect them from a family 
of crows which otherwise would have ruined them all. Thejr began to “plug” 
the melons as soon as they were nearly ripe, going from one to another until 
they found one which suited them, spoiling many which they did not eat. Re¬ 
ports of similar damage have been received from Georgia and South Carolina, 
one planter complaining that his melons are attacked before they are half grown, 
and another estimating his loss from the same cause at 10 per cent, of the crop. 
Occasionally crows do much damage to ripening fruit, but they generally find an 
abundant supply of wild fruits, and do not care to run the risk of a near approach 
to the garden unless the display'is particularly tempting. 
From the fact that crows feed largely on wild grapes, it seems a little strange that 
