Cries of the Day and Night 



part he waited till boys were gathering for a 

 swim or a ball game, when he would launch 

 himself into flight and go skimming down the 

 road, whooping out his new cry exultantly. What 

 meaning he attached to the words, whether of 

 boys or fun or mere excitement, I have no means 

 of knowing. 



After learning this much of our speech Necho 

 took to the wild, following a call of the blood, I 

 think; for it was springtime when he disappeared, 

 and the crows' mating clamor sounded from every 

 woodland. These birds are said to kill every 

 .member of their tribe who returns to them after 

 living with men, , and the saying may have some 

 truth in it. I have noticed that many tame crows 

 are like tame baboons in that they seem mortally 

 afraid of their wild kinsmen ; but Necho was ap- 

 parently an exception. If he had any trouble 

 when first he returned to his flock, the matter was 

 settled without our knowledge, and during the 

 following autumn there was evidence that he was 

 again in good standing. Long afterward, as I 

 roamed the woods, I might hear his lusty "Ya- 

 hoo! Come on!" from where he led a yelling rabble 

 of crows to chivvy a sleeping owl or jeer at a 

 running fox; and occasionally his guttural cry 

 sounded over the tree-tops when I could not see 

 him or know what mischief was afoot. He never 



