Old White Wing 279 
his mate. As my tree stood on higher ground, I 
could see into the nest, and there I counted five eggs. 
After an absence of about an hour and a half the 
female returned, preened and arranged her feathers, 
and took her place on the eggs. Many a time after- 
ward I saw Old White Wing bring her food and in 
a score of ways show himself to be the most thoughtful 
of husbands. 
By and by the five eggs hatched into five baby 
crows, and now began the serious business of the 
elder members of the family. This was the long- 
looked-for opportunity for the farmer, as at this time 
the parents are less wary of danger. I trembled for 
the fate of my crow family, lest Old White Wing, in 
his zealous foraging to fill the five hungry mouths in 
the tree top, might be killed, and his blood stained 
body hung in some cornfield to frighten away other 
crows. 
As the young crows grew larger, the task of feeding 
them grew more and more arduous. From morn till 
eve both parents were kept busy, and the weary wing 
on which they returned told of the infinite labor 
necessary to feed a brood. 
The young were soon large enough to begin their 
early education. Noisy little creatures they were by 
nature; so their first lesson must be—instant silence 
