The Wise Old Crow 



GARRETT NEWKIRK 



Not all the people know 

 The wisdom of the Crow : 

 As they see him come and go, 

 With verdict brief, 

 They say. "You thief!" 

 And wish him only woe. 



That he's selfish we admit, 

 But he has a lot of grit, 

 And on favor not a bit 



Does he depend ; 



Without a friend. 

 He must live by mother-wit. 



The Crow is rather shy. 



With a very watchful eye 



For danger coming nigh, 

 And any one 

 Who bears a gun 



He's pretty sure to spy. 



The clever farmer's plan 

 Is to make a sort of ban. 

 By stuffing clothes with bran, 



Topped with a tile 



Of ancient style, 

 ■ — A funny old scare-crow man. 



The Crow looks on with scorn, 

 And early in the morn 

 Pulls up the farmer's corn : 



He laughs at that. 



The queer old hat, 

 Of the scare-crow man forlorn. 



A YOUNG Observer who read the ' Hints to Young Bird Stu- 

 dents,' published in Bird-Lore for August, iSgg, writes as 

 follows: •'! read an appeal signed by several prominent 

 ornithologists, among them Mr. Brewster, calling upon the boys and 

 girls in general to be more careful about their collecting of birds 

 and eggs. I read this appeal with interest, and decided that it 

 applied to me also : so I have determined to leave eggs strictly 

 alone and study the habits of birds instead. I have a great respect 

 for the birds of America." 



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