318 AMERICAN CROW. 



shot, besides the multitudes of young birds killed in their nests. Must I 

 add to this slaughter other thousands destroyed by the base artifice of 

 laying poisoned grain along the fields to tempt these poor birds ? Yes, I 

 will tell you of all this too. The natural feelings of every one who ad- 

 mires the bounty of Nature in providing abundantly for the subsistence of 

 all her creatures, prompt me to do so. Like yourself, I admire all her 

 wonderful works, and respect her wise intentions, even when her laws are 

 far beyond our Umited comprehension. 



The Crow devours myriads of grubs every day of the year, that- 

 might lay waste the farmer's fields ; it destroys quadrupeds innumer- 

 able, every one of which is an enemy to his poultry and his flocks. Why 

 then should the farmer be so ungrateful, when he sees such services ren- 

 dered to him by a providential friend, as to persecute that friend even to 

 the death ? Unless he plead ignorance, surely he ought to be found guilty 

 at the bar of common sense. Were the soil of the United States, like 

 that of some other countries, nearly exhausted by long continued culti- 

 vation, human selfishness in such a, matter might be excused, and our 

 people might look on our Crows, as other people look on theirs ; but every 

 individual in the land is aware of the superabundance of food that exists 

 among us, and of which a portion may well he spared for the feathered 

 beings, that tend to enhance our pleasures by the sweetness of their song, 

 the innocence of their lives, or their curious habits. Did not every Ame- 

 rican open his door and his heart to^the wearied traveller, and afford him 

 food, comfort and rest, I would at once give up the argument ; but when 

 I know by experience the generosity of the people, I cannot but wish 

 that they would reflect a little, and become more indulgent toward our 

 poor, humble, harmless, and even most serviceable bird, the Crow. , 



The American .Crow is common in all parts of the United States. It 

 becomes gregarious immediately after the breeding season, when it forms 

 flocks sometimes containing hundreds, or even thousands. Towards 

 autumn, the individuals bred in the Eastern Districts almost all remove 

 to the Southern States, where they spend the winter in vast numbers. 



The voice of our Crow is very different from that of the European 

 species which comes nearest to it in appearance, so much so indeed, that 

 this circumstance, together with others relating to its organization, has 

 induced me to distinguish it, as you see, by a peculiar name, that of Corvus 

 Americanus. I hope you will think me excusable in this, should my 

 ideas prove to be erroneous, when I tell you that the Magpie of Europe i 



