A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



turned and reported. Another crow flew to 

 the north end of the field and stationed him- 

 self in a tall pine-tree. This crow soon dis- 

 je covered that the string did not surround the 



Crow whole field; there was a wide gap in front 



of the pine-tree. He called " Caw-caw-caw- 

 caw-caw," and the crows flew down to the 

 tree. They were told about the gap, and one 

 crow boldly flew through and acted as sentinel 

 from a tree in the potato-field. The other 

 crows soon followed, and began digging up 

 the seed-potatoes. I think they tasted of every 

 piece, with the idea that somewhere I had 

 planted something good to eat. I shot two 

 of the crows and hung them in the potato- 

 field, but a week later I found the seeds dug 

 up, with the exception of a few hills beneath 

 the string. 



The few hills left made quite a show two 

 years later. They had produced a crop each 

 year without being discovered by hunters. 

 But when the weeds and shrubs made a rabbit- 

 cover, " wild potatoes " were discovered on 

 that side-hill, and I was soon informed of the 

 144 



