50 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



1886, a young crow was taken from the nest and domesticated at 

 the Lyon homestead, and became the pet of the family. He would 

 often fly to the windows of the house and look in. He was exceed- 

 ingly fond of Joe, the gardener, and would often perch upon the 

 hat of the latter, while walking about the grounds, and allow him- 

 self to be taken down, and would sit \\\)0\\ Joe's finger. If one 

 pointed a finger at him, he would open wide his mouth and emit a 

 low half hissing, half cawing sound. 



He liked to tease. A small fat pujjpy, black all over, except 

 the tip of his tail which was white, shared the honors of being a 

 pet. 



The crow (we called him "Jim,") used to come stealthily up 

 behind the puppy, and with his beak suddenly nip the white tip 

 of the puppy's tail. Although the puppy jumped to his feet and 

 turned round with astonishing celerity, he failed to catch the 

 offender, who nimbly, by jumps and aided by his wings, kept out of 

 harm's way. 



I have seen him when the puppy was picking a bone, make 

 a pass at the latter, and as the puppy dropped the bone to meet 

 his attacker, Jim dextrously caught the bone and bore it aloft to a 

 safe branch in triumph. 



Nearly every afternoon, near sun down, many wild crows 

 passed over-head in full view, often cawing vociferously, and on 

 several of these occasions I have closely observed Jim. I have 

 seen him watch these crows, but he never appeared to care to join 

 them in their wild life, preferring the companionship of man. 



Last fall, November 8, 1886, I received from T^yons Falls the 

 cadaver of a Red-tailed Hawk — Hen-Hawk — Biitco borcalis, (Gm.) 

 v., and a letter announcing that on November 4, 1886, this hawk 

 had attacked the crow and a combat ensued, in which the crow had, 

 for the time being at least, gotten the better of his powerful adver- 

 sary, and held the hawk until Joe, the gardener, came and seizing 

 the hawk despatched it. 



This hawk is a bird probably of the year. In the flesh it 

 measured as follows : 



Length 21^^ inches from tip of beak to tip of tail measured 

 over the back. From tip of beak to root of tail, i2| inches. 

 Length of wing from shoulder to tip of third primary, 15 J^ inches. 

 .\lar extent from lip of one wing to tip of other wing, the wings 



