rill-: WESTERN CRO\\'% 



(liiaiuitifs i>l crickets, iK-etles, grasshop|>ers, caterpillars, cut-worms, ami spid- 

 ers, are coiisiiiiied. Frogs, lizards, mice, and snakes also apiKsir occasionally 

 upon the hill of tare. On the whole, therefore, the Crow is nut an economic 

 Gorgon, and his destruction nee<l not largely concern the farmer, altlio it is 

 always well to teach the bird a i)roi)er reverence. 



The psychology uf the Crow is worthy of a jq)arate treatise. All birds 

 have a certain faculty of direct i)ercq>tion. whicli we are pleased to call in- 

 stinct; but the Crow, at least, comes tielightfully near to reasoning. It is on 

 account of his phenomenal brightness that a young Crow is among the most 

 interesting of i)ets. If taken from the nest and well treated, a young Crow can 

 In.- given such a large measure of freedom as fully to justify the cx])erinjent 

 from a humanitarian standix>int. Of course the sure end of such a ]K't is death 

 by an ignorant neighlnir's giui. but the dear departed is emiKilmcd in memory 

 to such a degree that all Crows are thereafter regarded as upon a higher ])lane. 



Everyone knows that Crows talk. Their cry is usually rei)re.scnted by 

 a single svllable, am', but it is capable of many a-id imiiortant mixlilications. 

 lAir instance, kmnt.'. kt-niw. comes from some irritate<l and apprehensive 

 female, who is trying to .smuggle a stick into the grove: kuwh-hduk-kawk 

 proclaims sudden danger, ami puts the llock int^j instant c(Hnmotion; while 

 ii/ti -(i7i', cau-itw. t(;ti.'-(j'i'. re- 



again. Once, in winter 

 bird-man, for sport, was 

 tifyiiig the local l)ird 

 p<r])ulation by re- 

 producing the 

 notes of the 

 Screech Owl, a 

 c o m p a n y of 

 Crows settled 

 in the tops 

 f>f neighboring 

 trees, and earn- 

 estly discussed 

 the probable 

 nature of the 

 object half- 

 concealed under 

 a camera cloth. 

 Finally. the>- 

 gave it up and 

 withdrew — as 

 I supposed. It 



•"^-^^W^i^iar:. 



issurcs them 



when the 



mvs- 



Takrn 

 Btnio 





\.<i • 



NEST AND EOGS OF WF.STEBN CROW, 



