Frederick D. Welch—Some Croivs



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out that in later years any bird called a Crow or at all resembling

the outward appearance of a Crow had greater attractions for me than

various other sorts of birds whose plumage was more bright and varied.


The birds above referred to were some four or five individuals of

the Indian Crow which used regularly to frequent the garden and

compound of the house at Bangalore, Southern India, where I first saw

the light of day. They not only came quite close to the outside of the

building (much as a European Robin does), but soon became so tame and

impudent that they walked without hesitation into the rooms. I took

great delight in attracting them inside by holding out bits of meat and

other food, and they soon began to live a sort of semi-domesticated

existence at the house, being also welcomed by the native nurses

employed by my parents. But, on the other hand, they were almost

always exiled for the time being when my father returned home from

his duties—sometimes after a book or other suitable missile had been

sent rapidly at them — because they soon became by no means shy or

nervous at helping themselves to food on the table ! The more unruly

they became, the more I liked them !


What specially amused me was to see them peck holes in tablets of

soap with their strong beaks ! But this did not exactly improve it for

washing purposes, especially if some food remains had been previously

on the Crow’s beak ; and the outcome of these incursions into the house

was that this early attempt at aviculture was not exactly encouraged

by my parents—much to my sorrow ! Finally an arrangement was made

between me and my parents that the birds should only be admitted for

a short time each day — which seemed to me as a child better than total

banishment of my feathered friends.


Coming now into recent years, there was one of these birds in

the Western Aviary of the London Gardens in January, 1921, which I

noticed when introducing a lady friend to some of the birds there; and

it created the impression in my mind that it would soon get as tame

with persons who interested themselves in it as did the ones referred to

in the opening lines of this account.


If any member wants a pet, why not try an Indian Crow ?


This bird, known as Corvus splenclens scientifically, shows some

resemblance in colour of plumage to the Jackdaw, being a mixture



