pws — 
— 
Song Birds and Water Fowl 
thing of anart, or of a gift, and exceedingly 
good philosophy, to rejoice in the shadow until 
the substance comes. 
Along the water’s edge one quite as often sees 
a very different sort of bird, jet black, like goats 
over against the sheep in the oceanic pasture— 
a vulgar terrestrial delegation, a pack of crows ; 
which, however unlike sea fowl by nature, 
may well be included in the list of winter coast- 
birds, driven thither in part by the failure of 
their other sources of supply. Probably they are 
never to be seen in such large flocks as on the 
sea-shore and in the adjoining forests during win- 
ter. Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America 
divide the honors equally of harboring this cos- 
mopolitan fowl. Almost the only stirring inci- 
dent that once relieved a long railroad ride 
across a third part of Germany was the im- 
mense flocks of crows plundering the grain- 
fields bordering the track, and, rising like 
thunder-clouds at our approach, making for 
the woods, yelling like demons, only to re- 
turn as soon as we had passed. I have never 
seen them elsewhere in such vast numbers ; pos- 
sibly, because they are more appreciated and 
less persecuted there than in America. For 
the world is slowly learning that there are two 
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