. Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds . ngthe breeding season it kills some small birds, particularlyif mice are not plentiful enough to furnish an abundance offood for its 3^oung. The Saw-whet or Acadian Owl {JSfi/ctala acadica) is alittle brown Owl, with no eartufts. It is the smallest of allthe native species of Massachusetts. It is rather uncom-mon, but very useful, as it feeds ciainly on mice and insectsand r
. Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds . ngthe breeding season it kills some small birds, particularlyif mice are not plentiful enough to furnish an abundance offood for its 3^oung. The Saw-whet or Acadian Owl {JSfi/ctala acadica) is alittle brown Owl, with no eartufts. It is the smallest of allthe native species of Massachusetts. It is rather uncom-mon, but very useful, as it feeds ciainly on mice and insectsand rather rarely on birds. The Barn Owl, perhaps the most useful of the family, israre here. On the whole, while Owls must be ranked among the ene-mies of small birds, they usually do so nmch more good thanthey do harm that only under exceptional conditions can thevbe regarded as injurious, although the Horned Owl is com-monly considered pernicious because of its destruction ofgame. Crows and Jays. The Crows, Jays, and Magpies have acquired a world-widereputation as nest robbers. The conmion Crow and the BlueJay manage to live up to their reputation. My report onthe Crow and some additional notes on the destructiveness. PLATE XXXVII. — Blue Jays Nest in Authors Grove. (Photo-graph, from life, by C. A. Reed.) (From American Ornithology.) CHECKS UPON INCREASE OF USEFUL BIRDS. 369 of both Crow and ^^.y have been pubhshed elsewliere.^ TheAmerican Crow (Corrus americanu>t) Is a most deadly enemyto birds from the size of the Chipping Sparrow to that of theNight Heron, Ruffed Grouse, and Black Duck, for it contin-ually steals the eggs and young of such birds and evidence on this point is so con-vincing and voluminous that it is jjlii ^i}% impossible to avoid this conclu-sion, although it is quite prob-able that only certainindividual Crows arethe criminals. Crowsnot only destroy eggs ancyoung birds, but they ha\been known to band togetherto hunt down and kill adultas larg
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