THE CROW 139 



what the price of corn, the crow is well and finds 

 life sweet. He is the dusky embodiment of 

 worldly wisdom and prudence. Then he is one 

 of Nature's self-appointed constables and greatly 

 magnifies his office. He would fain arrest every 

 hawk or owl or grimalkin that ventures abroad. 

 I have known a posse of them to beset the fox 

 and cry " Thief ! " till Reynard hid himself for 

 shame. Do I say the fox flattered the crow when 

 he told him he had a sweet voice ? Yet one of 

 the most musical sounds in nature proceeds from 

 the crow. All the crow tribe, from the blue jay 

 up, are capable of certain low ventriloquial notes 

 that have peculiar cadence and charm. I often 

 hear the crow indulging in his in winter, and am 

 reminded of the sound of the dulcimer. The bird 

 stretches up and exerts himself like a cock in the 

 act of crowing, and gives forth a peculiarly clear, 

 vitreous sound that is sure to arrest and reward 

 your attention. This is, no doubt, the song the 

 fox begged to be favored with, as in delivering 

 it the crow must inevitably let drop the piece of 

 meat. 



The crow has fine manners. He always has 

 the walk and air of a lord of the soil. One morn- 

 ing I put out some fresh meat upon the snow 

 near my study window. Presently a crow came 

 and carried it off, and alighted with it upon the 



