EASTERN CROW 249 



April morning. The bird called chuck-chuck, whoo-oo, and then cawed in the 

 ordinary manner, repeating the formula in this order several times. Its sig- 

 nificance was hidden. 



The conversational notes of a small group or family of Crows are always en- 

 tertaining, and the observer is impressed with the extensiveness of their vocab- 

 ulary and with the variations in their feelings. At times the notes are low and 

 confidential, pleasant and almost melodious, if I may use that word here; again 

 they are raucous and scolding, bursting at times into a veritable torrent of abuse. 

 In the same way, in human conversations, one may, even without understanding 

 the words, be able to interpret the meanings and motives involved. [See under 

 Courtship for additional notes.] 



Allen (1919) has called our attention to the time rhythm, which he 

 attributes to a well-developed esthetic sense of the crow. He has noted 

 that the caw notes are not only in triplets but at times they give four 

 caws in groups of two (2-2) ; again he noted that the bird cawed 2-1 a 

 large number of times in succession and on other occasions 2-1-1. The 

 time was so regular that he could detect no variations. The length of 

 the several notes and their pitch and quality were uniform, the rhythm 

 being all that differentiated the phrase from other performances of 

 the crow. 



Allen does not believe the series of combination of calls represents a 

 code of signals, nor does he believe them to be purely mechanical and 

 involuntary, but he thinks the crow takes delight in the rhythm and 

 variety of his utterances. He asks the question, "Is he not, in a limited 

 way, a true artist, a composer as well as a performer?" 



Wright (1912), in a study conducted at Jefferson Highlands in the 

 White Mountains, N. H., determined the order and manner in which 

 summer resident birds within range of hearing awoke and voiced them- 

 selves. According to Wright the crow is a comparatively late riser, as 

 it ranks twenty-fourth among the common birds in time of voicing itself. 

 Fourteen records show that the earliest times at which a crow was heard 

 to call were 3:35 and 3:36 a.m. The average time of the first call was 

 3:44 A.M. The variations of the crow's awakening was only 21 minutes 

 on 14 occasions, ranging in date from May 27 to July 9, and covering 

 ten seasons. Wright concluded that the crow was one of the most regular 

 in awakening of the common birds he observed. 



Enemies. — The crow is recognized as an enemy of certain species of 

 birds, especially in the destruction of their eggs and young, but it is 

 itself in turn preyed upon by hawks and owls. Horned and snowy owls 

 have been seen to capture and kill crows, and the remains have been 

 found in the stomach contents of others. Likewise remains of crows have 

 been found in the stomach contents of red-shouldered and red-tailed 

 hawks and goshawks, and probably the crow falls a victim to other 

 species of the larger hawks. Even the smaller species of hawks may some- 



