THE CROW. 43 



may find. They are accused of taking eggs from 

 the nests of smaller birds and flying off with 

 them, to eat them at their leisure. That is no 

 more than we all do, is it ? Do not we all hunt 

 eggs, and think we have fine luck if we chance 

 upon a hatful in the mow ? Crow can take but 

 one at a time, since he wears no hat. 



Crows are really useful birds, and the farmers 

 should not despise them so. They take thou- 

 sands of insects, that are worse enemies to the 

 farmer than the crows themselves. Wonder if 

 the farmers will believe this! The boys might 

 watch and see if this is true. The boys might 

 form boys' farmers' clubs on purpose to report 

 for the birds who are unable to speak for them- 

 selves. It would be great fun, as well as a useful 

 work for the interests of agriculture. 



Perhaps you will not see the crows in large 

 flocks, but oftener in pairs, or in autumn, in fami- 

 lies of five or six. They seem to be holding con- 

 ferences together at times, sitting on bare limbs 

 of trees and chattering in their own dialect. 

 Tamed crows make interesting pets. There was 

 one in our family once, for a while; but on ac- 

 count of his habit of hiding grandmother's spec- 

 tacles, and sister's thimbles, and father's pennies, 

 he wa's excused from living with us very long. 



