242 



THE OOLOGJST. 



same pitch throughout. This note im- 

 parts an uncomfortable feeling to the 

 human hearer, and is probably the 

 sound mentioned by Bryant in "The 

 Death of the Flowers," where he ^ys, 

 "And from the wood-top calls the Crow 

 through all the gloomy day." 



The notes of the young bird I aoj not 

 so familiar with, but should any of- 

 nithologist hear uttered in a rather flat 

 voice, during May or June, the follow- 

 ing, he may understand that a young 

 Crow is being fed 



Ka-a, ka-a, ka wa loa iva tva wa, ka-a, 

 [a as in/«r.] It is the voice of a yoimg 

 Crow whose food is in sight, and ihe"wa 

 ivcC part occurs during the passage of 

 food down the young Crow's throat. 



These, so far as the ivriter knotvs, are 

 all the notes of the Ci'ow having a de- 

 finite meaning. These can readily be 

 distinguished and understood after some 

 stud}' and observation. 



There is one use of Crows I have 

 never seen mentioned and that is their 

 value as "dogs" to an Owl hunter. 

 Here, where the Great Horned Owl is 

 not common, and is almost as hard to 

 shoot as a Crow is in winter, when a 

 hunter concludes to take an Owl hunt, 

 he finds the Crows to be valuable assis- 

 tants. 



When he goes to the woods he endea- 

 vors to scare out an Owl. If he finds 

 one, as soon as it flies a band of Crows 

 see and fly after it. When the Owl 

 alights, part of the Crows perch in the 

 tree, over him, while the rest go to 

 neighboring woods, after more Crows. 

 The hunter, learning of the position of 

 the Owl, by the Crows sitting above, 

 moves forward as cautiously as possible. 

 When he is nearly in range the Crows 

 silently leave, leaving the Owl still sit- 

 ting in the tree. 



Shoiild the Owl see the sportsman be- 

 fore the latter is in range, and should 

 fly to the other end of the woods, the 

 Crows, their numbers now increased by 

 arrivals from other woods join in the 



chase, now and then diving at him as 

 he flies, till he alights. Then the Crows- 

 amuse themselves by diving with aa 

 angry croak, and sailing round and 

 round the tree occupied by his Owlship, 

 like a swarm of bumble bees, until they 

 see the hunter coming through the 

 leaves. Then they again silently de- 

 part. Sdme' times the Crows gather irt 

 such numbers that there will be four or 

 five hundred Crows after one or two 

 Owls. 



I have noticed that several Great 

 Horned Owls captured after having 

 been worried by Crows, had the eyelids 

 swelled and filled v ith blood. I sup- 

 pose the Crows were responsible for 

 this, but do not knoAv. Does any one? 



Before closing, I Avish to impose upon 

 the readers of the most excellent Oolo- 

 GiST a ''tame Crow story." 



A friend had a tame Crow who had 

 learned to soften di'y crumbs by soak- 

 ing them in water. One day he was 

 discovered standing by a cup of water, 

 in which he had put a box of tacks, 

 just opened. Upon being scolded for 

 this, he took the box out to the garden 

 and upset it. At another time, Avhile 

 his oAvners were placing strawberry 

 runners, and putting clods upon them, 

 the Crow amused himself by pulling up 

 the runners as fast as they were placed, 

 and out of reach of the boys. 



Falco. 



Wilson's Ornithological Club. 



The Wilson's Ornithological Club 

 AA'as organized at San Benardino, Cal, 

 June 9, 1894. The following officers 

 Avere elected : President, Edward Wall, 

 San Bernardino; Vice-President, Wesley 

 Bead. Colton; Secretary, Arthur Whit- 

 ing, San Bernardino; Treasurer, E. D. 

 Palmer, San Bernardino. 



The President Avrites us as follows: 



'•Anyone wishing to join Avith us in 

 the study of our birds, their nests and 

 eggs, please send their address to the 

 President or Secretary. 



We can promise corresponding mem- 

 bers all the advantages of resident 

 members." 



