A BARN-DOOR OUTLOOK 



I think the crows teased and annoyed her. I heard 

 their cawing and saw them pursuing the hawk, and 

 then saw her swoop upon them or turn over in the 

 air beneath them, as if to show them what feats she 

 could do on the wing that were beyond their powers. 

 The crows often made a peculiar guttural cawing 

 and cackling as if they enjoyed the sport, but they 

 were clumsy and awkward enough on the wing 

 compared to the hawk. Time after time she came 

 down upon them from a point high in the air, like a 

 thunderbolt, but never seemed to touch them. 

 Twice I saw her swoop upon them as they sat upon 

 the ground, and the crows called out in half 

 sportive, half protesting tones, as if saying, " That 

 was a little too close; beware, beware!" It was like a 

 skillful swordsman flourishing his weapon about the 

 head of a peasant; but not a feather was touched so 

 far as I could see. It is the only time I ever saw this 

 hawk in a sportive or aggressive mood. I have seen 

 jays tease the sharp-shinned hawk in this way, and 

 escape his retaliating blows by darting into a cedar- 

 tree. All the crow tribe, I think, love to badger and 

 mock some of their neighbors. 



How much business the crows seem to have apart 

 from hunting their living ! I hear their voices in the 

 morning before sun-up, sounding out from different 

 points of the fields and woods, as if every one of 

 them were giving or receiving orders for the day: 

 *Here, Jim, you do this; here, Corvus, you go there* 

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