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his daily visits till late in September, when after a 

 thunderstorm, which made food easy to get, he too 



appeared no more. 



W. FAEEEE. 



JAMES, THE CEOW 



I venture to send you the following account of the 

 doings of a quaint member of our family James, the 

 crow thinking that it may interest some of your readers. 



M. E. CHUBB. 



" He began his career in the Fens, on a tree, over- 

 looking the river Nene. One Bank Holiday in June two 

 boatloads of ' bricky lads ' splashed up; spying the nest, 

 one of the boys swarmed up the slender willow and 

 captured him and his brethren. Finding that they were 

 only crows instead of jackdaws as they had hoped, they 

 thought of killing them, when their teacher stepped in on 

 behalf of James, and he at least was saved. Henceforth 

 his home was to be changed from the broad fens to a 

 little yard in the centre of the town. At this time he 

 could not feed himself, but already his fighting powers 

 were well developed, and he used his tremendously strong 

 beak and claws to good purpose. However, he soon 

 learnt to pick up his food and to make himself more than 

 at home. His first duty was that of a watchbird ; as 

 soon as the bell rang, the dog barked, and James crowed, 

 but since the dark weather commenced he has ceased to 

 crow, but shows his feelings by hissing when he is angry, 

 and talking softly in his way when he is pleased. He has 

 become quite the cock of the walk, both the dog, a terrier 

 renowned for fighting, and the huge family cat being in 

 terror of him. Indeed, he chases both of them round the 

 yard, and once pulled the latter by the tail. The servant 

 is fond of having what she calls ' a pantomime,' that is, 

 getting the three animals in a room together and watch- 

 ing the bird give chase to the others. The cat mews, the 



