AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 203 



ting at the eggs then. However he would approach the nest very brave- 

 ly until the birds spied him, then he would tly to the house the shortest 

 way possible. One morning on looking out of the window 1 saw the poor 

 fellow trying to get to the house, with a kingbird picking feathers from his 

 back and another attacking him from the front. Above the loud whirring 

 of their wings rose the angry voices of the owners of the nest, mingled 

 with the most heartrending cries of the crow. Moved by his sorry plight, 

 I opened the door so that he could tly in. When he saw it he instantly 

 darted toward it, closely followed by the angry birds, who came in through 

 the open door before they realized that he had escaped. A happier crow 

 never lived, when lie saw his assailants leave. As it was, Jim was a sad 

 looking bird. His once smooth glossy feathers are now sticking up in all 

 sorts of ways, and many lay scattered about. The poor crow was tremb- 

 ling all over while his black eyes glistened excitedly. It was some time 

 before he got over his fright and ventured to go out. 



Not only did he break up birds nests, 

 but he stole everything that he could 

 carry away. One day after he had 

 been in my room 1 saw him hop steal- 

 thily through the open door, then tly 

 quickly up to the roof of the house 

 with my scissors in his beak. 1 shout- 

 ed to him to bring them back, but he 

 only twisted his head around and 



blinked at me. After awhile 1 persuaded him to drop them over the 

 eaves; as 1 stooped to pick them up down came thimble, thread and nu- 

 merous other small articles which I had missed for a long time, and over- 

 head Jim was scolding in an undertone. 1 never missed anything after 

 that, for he didn't like the idea of being found guilty. 



He was exceedingly vain. After standing by the hour in front of a 

 mirror he would strut haughtily by, and not deign to look at any of us if 

 we spoke to him. One day after he had primped up and tired of the 

 mirror he flew out of doors. Just outside was a tub of clear water. As 

 Jim flew by he caught a glimpse of himself. The temptation was too 

 great; he perched on the edge of the tub and began to chatter. Whether 

 he lost his balance or whether he thought there was another crow in the 

 tub 1 cannot say, but there was a squawk and a splash and he went to the 

 bottom. Not to stay, however, for in less time than it" takes to tell it, he 

 was out of the tub and in the house drying himself. All his fine looks 

 were gone, and nothing but a plastered lot of feathers wrapped about the 

 shivering body of a sadder but wiser crow, was left. 



