SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
it is shown to be most valuable, and the most efiective check upon the blow-fly 
pest. Investigations of stomach contents carried out by the writer have 
proved this without a doubt. Northern squatters have now come to the 
same conclusions, based upon observations, and it is known as a fact that 
where those men once paid for killing the crows upon their runs, they will 
not allow one to be killed now. ‘There can be no denying the fact that the 
crow will gouge out the eyes of weakling lambs, and out of bogged sheep, 
but the few lambs or sheep that can actually be said to have been lost 
in this way (for in many cases the animals would have died, owing to weakness 
or not being discovered in time) is very little payment for services rendered. 
Apart from the beneficial work of scavenging and the destruction of blow-fly 
Jarvee, they destroy immense quantities of injurious insects, especially 
-grasshoppers and crickets in all stages. 
Taking seven stomach contents of the crow, from a large list examined, 
they are as follows :—- 
No. 1.—-Taken in November, 1910--Number of maggots and small 
insects. 
No. 2.—Taken in November, 1910—Maggots, beetles, blow-flies, ants. 
No. 3.—Taken in December, 1910—-Full of grasshoppers, some large 
ones. 
No. 4.—Taken in December, 1910—Three species of beetles and grass- 
hoppers. 
No. 5.—Taken in December, 1910—Forty-five grasshoppers, some 
juvenile. 
No. 6.—Taken in August, 1913—Beetles, pupa cases of blow-flies. 
No. 7.—Taken in August, 1913—Carrion, maggots, pupa cases of blow- 
‘flies, and ants. 
No. 8.—Taken in September, 1914——Black beetles, pupa cases of blow- 
flies, 
No, 9.—Taken in October, 1914—Carrion and maggots. 
No. 10.—Taken in October. 1914—Grasshoppers and beetles. 
These few stomach contents, taken at random from a long list, must 
-prove that this bird is of the greatest economic value. The crow is a ter- 
restrial feeder, and the food taken by it is on or near the ground. Much 
of its food is found by digging into the earth by means of its strong hill, 
given to the bird for that purpose. The turning over of bark, sticks, manure, 
and clods of earth are common methods of the crow in securing its food. 
All observers know that the crow devours great numbers of grasshoppers, 
and he is one of the farmers’ and pastoralists’ best friends, for he fills and 
empties his stomach several times during the day. When we hear, upon 
good authority, that the blow-fly pest is costing the Commonwealth £3,000,000 
annually, and we know the crow is a great enemy to the pest, surely this is 
sufficient reason to place the crow upon the protected list. 
The barn or screech owl (Two alba delicatula) is beyond question one of, 
if not the most useful bird in Australia, and yet it has been much persecuted. 
The destruction of this bird has been due to many reasons—to superstition, 
to its noiseless flight, to its weird cry, resembling at times a child in pain, to 
faulty observations of its true food and habits. This bird’s food does not 
pass through the body as with most other birds, but is retained, till all 
_ nourishment has been extracted, then the waste parts, such as bones, feathers 
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