218 KNOWING BIRDS THROUGH STORIES 



nize him, he became just a crow and lived in the vicinity 

 for years. 



Of course we missed Sam, but he was never the jolly 

 companion that Joe the blue jay had been, and I have never 

 cared for another crow. Doubtless they are interesting 

 and it may be that I am somewhat prejudiced against 

 them; but they are not so clean as most birds, and for 

 this reason I do not like to have them around. 



Occasionally pet crows learn to talk. I have known two 

 that were as good talkers as a parrot. Such crows are 

 taken from the nest when quite young and reared where 

 they do not become familiar with crow language. Any 

 bird attempts to imitate the sound with which he is most 

 familiar, or perhaps it would be more exact to say the 

 language of those he regards as his own people. No bird 

 whose training does not begin young makes a first class 

 talker. Even parrots must either be taken from the nest 

 when very young, or taken where they will not hear others 

 of their race before they are a year old if they are ever to 

 become really good talkers. 



Pet birds seldom mate with wildlings. Whether this is 

 because they feel themselves superior or whether the wild- 

 lings consider them outcasts I do not know. That several 

 of my pet birds finally mated and settled down to normal 

 family life pleased me, for it led me to believe I was seeing 

 them under normal conditions, which is, after all, the only 

 way to become really acquainted with anything. 



