ii6 



Bird- Lore 



wings. A slender neck raised a heavy, hliiul head upward, the tleshy bill opened 

 and the Crow became a gaping mouth, begging for food. 



A week later, I found only two young birds in the nest. But these made up 

 for their lost brothers. They had nearly doubled in size, and everywhere dark 



CROWS TEN D.\YS' OLD 



pin-feathers were appearing under the skin. The skin had now become an ugly, 

 dark brownish gray color. The eyes had opened. The only noise they made, 

 as they lay huddled in the bottom of the nest, was a hoarse croak. I removed 

 a small worm from the ear of one. Whether it was a natural parasite or had 

 merely taken refuge there I do not know. Three days later, when I photographed 

 them, the only change was a lengthening of tlic pin-feathers. 



Jiy May 12, at the age of about twcnt\- (la\s, the young birds looked more 

 like Crows. The i)in-feathers had grown and the enveloping sheaths had burst 

 at the end, causing the birds to be covered with dull black feathers. Only on 

 the large flight-feathers and tail did the sheaths show. The day was hot and the 

 sun shone down through the thin spring foliage on the unprotected backs of the 

 Crows. They lav ([uictK- in their nest, nciks stretched out, mouths i)])en, breath- 

 ing heavily. 



After four days more, 1 found that anoijier change had taken place. The 



