FIRST FLIGHTS 



Crows flock together in great roosts in the 

 winter. Some Crow roosts have as many as two 

 or three hundred thousand tenants nightly. 

 When the birds leave in the morning they fly low 

 and search for food. When they return in the 

 afternoon they fly high, heading straight for the 

 roost. Hence the expression, "as the Crow flies." 



Like the Chimney Swifts, Crows do not enter 

 their sleeping place until practically the last bird 

 has arrived. In the meantime they alight on the 

 ground in near-by fields. As bird after bird 

 returns and drops down among the others, the 

 ground becomes black with Crows. I have seen 

 several acres covered with them. They seem 

 to have very little to say about their day's ex- 

 perience. It is almost dark before they go to 

 bed. Then they arise from the ground and in 

 orderly procession silently fly to their roost in 

 the woods. 



Beside these daily journeys to and from their 



sleeping place some birds, during the winter, 



wander about over land and sea. Their chief 



object in life at this time is to hunt for food, and 



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