182 



SHALL ANIMALS AND INSECTS. 



[Chap. II. 



the beaver, otter, deer, and a host of forest hirds, and their places will be 

 rapidly supplied by the wren, the rohiii, the bluebird, the honey-bee, etc. 



'■Tiie raven is more carnivorous than the crow. I once saw one alight 

 into a kingbird's ncr^t and carry away the young, in spite of the cries and 

 etibrts of the old ones."' 



The crowning charge against the crows comes from Freeport, Me., in a 

 letter written by E. Pratt, Jr., who says : 



" Now what ' !/our crows' are, or wliat they eat, or how they get their liv- 

 ing, I know not ; but the crows in Maine both dig and eat potatoes, incredu- 

 lous as it may appear. 



"In some seasons I have known many acres, planted on light soils, in 

 exposed situations, devastated by these miscreants, and that in my own 

 neigliborliood. 



"Their manner is, wlicn the plant first breaks ground, to dig and pull it 

 up with the tubers attached, though it appears by the partially eaten ones 

 left here and there on the field, that they do not eat them with much 

 avidity. 



" I know that popular writers think tlie crow a great blessing to farmers, 

 but I am yet to be convinced of this, and can only wish that those who think 

 their company so desirable should have the benefit of my share." 



There is but little doubt in our mind that most of these bad birds were 

 ravens, and not crows, particularly as Mr. Wales acknowledges the presence 

 of the raven, and says that he is a carnivorous bird. 



Now, having said our say, and allowed others to say theirs, about crows, 

 we will drop down to wrens, by way of contrast. 



231. Wrens. — We waked one morning — one of those May mornings — 

 when our domicile was a city one, with delightful sounds coming in at the 

 window. They were the notes of sweet singing birds. What lovely music ! 

 It was the first of the season that had come to our ears, and it struck a chord 

 that called to mind scenes of youth, long, long ago. We hastened to the 

 window and looked out. " Ha ! ha ! my old friends," we cried, " and so you 

 have come back again." It was the wrens, the same ones undoubtedly that 

 we built a nesting-place for last year. There was one pair then, now two 

 pair — the progeny, Ave suppose, of those that sung for us last year. " And 

 so," we said, " you have both come for a nesting-place, have you ? Well, 

 there is the old one — but yon must have another. An increasing fiimily 

 needs more room. You shall have it." Notwithstanding: the morninn: was 

 a rainy one, we feared our pets might feel neglected, and so down we went 

 to provide for their necessities. How amply were we repaid the little labor ! 

 for all the time we were engaged, they were hopping about the peach limbs, 

 picking off tiie insects, and singing all the while most men-ily. Who would 

 not cultivate such society as this ? Wlio would not like to have their trees 

 protected from insects that destroy foliage and fruit? Every one, surely. 

 Then protect the wrens. Build nesting-places for them, and they will come 

 every spring and send their sweet notes into your open window, some pleas- 



