16 THE NORTHWEST CROW. 
Speaking of their aquatic tendencies, Mr. A. B. Reagan, of La Push, 
assures me that he has repeatedly seen them catch smelt in the ocean near 
shore. These fish become involved in the breakers and may be snatched from 
above by the dextrous bird without any severe wetting. 
Crows are still the most familiar feature of Indian village life. The 
Indian, perhaps, no longer cherishes any superstition regarding him, but 
he is reluctant to banish such a familiar evil. The Quillayutes call the bird 
Kah-ah-yo: and it is safe to say that fifty pairs of these Fish Crows nest 
within half a mile of the village of La Push. They nest, indifferently, in 
the saplings of the coastal thickets, or against the trunks of the larger spruces, 
and take little pains to escape observation. The birds are, however, becom- 
ing quite shy of a gun. Seeing a half dozen of them seated in the tip of a tall 
spruce in the open woods, I raised my fowling piece to view, whereupon 
% 
Taken on Waldron Id. Photo by the Author. 
THE CROW’S FARE, 
all flew with frantic cries. Indeed it required considerable manceuvering 
and an ambuscade to secure the single specimen needed. 
At Neah Bay the Fish Crows patrol the beach incessantly and allow 
very little of the halibut fishers’ largess to float off on the tide. And the 
Oke-t(c)ope, as the Makahs call the birds, have little fear of the Indians, 
altho they are very suspicious of a strange white man. - I once saw a pretty 
sight on this beach: a three year old Indian girl chasing the Crows about 
in childish glee. The birds enjoyed the frolic as much as she, and fell in 
