Identifier: birdsofnewenglan00sam (find matches)
Title: The birds of New Englandand adjacent states: containing descriptions of the birds of New England ... together with a history of their habitats ... ; with illustrations of many species of the birds, and accurate figures of their eggs
Year: 1870 (1870s)
Authors: Samuels, Edward Augustus, 1836-1908
Subjects: Birds Birds Birds
Publisher: Boston : Noyes, Holmes
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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is owing, principally, to the difficulty attending suchinvestigations, — the killing of great numbers of birds inall the seasons when they are found with us, which is abso-lutely necessary, but which is extremely distasteful to mostpersons; and it has been aggravated somewhat by the con-tradictory statements of various persons in different locali-ties regarding the food of some species that they have hadthe means of observing. Of these birds, none have given rise to more controversythan the Corvidoe ; and I propose to discuss briefly here thisinteresting topic, and bring a few facts and arguments,founded on reason or actual observation, to show theiractual economical value. Until very recently, I have been the earnest advocate ofthese birds, and have believed that the benefits they rendermuch more than balance the injuries they inflict; but Imust say, that, after careful consideration, my faith in theirutility is sadly shaken. At the outset I will say, that I have kept specimens in
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Common Crow, Gorvus Americanus. Audubon. THE COMMON CROW. 359 captivity; and have, by actual observation, proved that atleast eight ounces of such food as frogs, fish, &c., are eatendaily by our Couimon Crow. Of course, like other birds, itcan live on a very limited allowance; but I think that theabove is a reasonable amount: however, to be absolutelywithin bounds, we will fix the food of the Crow to be equalto five ounces of animal matter per diem. Beginning, then,with the new year, we will follow the life of this bird throughall the seasons, and then compare the results arrived attogether, good and bad. During the months of January, February, and March,when the face of the country is covered with snow, theinsects being dormant, and the small birds away to moresouthern districts, most of the Crows migrate from NewEngland: and the few that remain depend upon a scantysubsistence of seeds of wild plants and weeds, acorns, applesthat have been left on the trees in the orchard, and fr

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