THE OOLOGIST 



169 



way away from the intended victim, 

 casually walk up and intercept that 

 particular chicken without frightening 

 the others of the flock in the least. 

 One peck on the head and it was all 

 over for that chicken. 



The crow would then seize its prey 

 with its bill and fly away to the nest, 

 but would immediately return for 

 more chicken. The performance 

 would be gone through with again not 

 only twice but a good many times 

 throughout the day and the flock 

 would not be frightened in the least. 

 They would catch and carry off a 

 chicken nearly as big as they them- 

 selves by carrying it a little way at a 

 time dropping it, resting and taking a 

 new start. That was one time I 

 failed to see the economic value of a 

 Crow to the farmer. They have a very 

 accurate knowledge of the proper 

 time to pick garden peas and are very 

 persistent in their endeavors to assist 

 one to gather his crop. I have always 

 wondered what these early arrivals in 

 the spring live upon. Sometimes there 

 will be days of storm , little or no bare 

 ground and surely at that time all in- 

 sects are dormant. It must be short 

 rations indeed at times. It is then 

 they act as scavengers and spend 

 much time in the winter roadways. 

 Also you may see them patroling the 

 edges of the running water for what 

 may be cast up on the ic2 in the way 

 of food. At one time this state offered 

 a bounty on Crows, so much for each 

 head brought into the town clerk's 

 office. We boys used to put out bait 

 consisting mainly of fresh beef bones, 

 the larger the better, in convenient 

 places and within gun shot of some 

 hide. Soon some keen eye would spy 

 the feast and soon that particular lo- 

 cality would be black with Crows. 

 Thus large numbers were baged at 

 one shot, then that place was shunned 

 by them for a time. This continued 



for two years but was done away with 

 by the next legislature. By the first 

 of April these large flocks have 

 dwindled down to pairs and nest 

 building soon commences. The bal- 

 sam fir being here the favorite tree 

 and the shores of ponds, brooks and 

 rivers the location best liked. The 

 first of June finds the young nearly 

 all hatched and ready by the last of 

 the month to "do their bit" in the 

 farmers' corn field much to his disgust 

 and loss. 



It is families that associate at this 

 time, father, mother and the babies as 

 large as the old folks, but still want- 

 ing to be fed and there is much flutter- 

 ing of wings when dad or marm bring 

 some choice grub. September finds 

 them forming small flocks from those 

 who spend the summer in this locality. 



October these small flocks have 

 joined forming large flocks of several 

 hundred and the migration has com- 

 menced. 



Sometimes a few stay here all win- 

 ter, usually January finds all gone un- 

 til the next spring. 



Camp McArthur, Texas, Bird Life 



I have seen and heard several in- 

 teresting things since I have been in 

 the Army. All is not work and worry, 

 we have several spare moments and 

 many happy thoughts of what was be- 

 fore the war and what will be after 

 the fight is over. The truth is, I have 

 had chances to observe bird life in a 

 new light, in ? way that I never had 

 before and never expect to have again. 



For instance, not very long ago I 

 was down on the rifle range. The 

 men were firing at the targets, mak- 

 ing an awful racket and the smell of 

 powder was awful strong. Having 

 nothing to do officially I of course 

 commenced to look around at what 

 nature had to cffer. My first sign of 

 life was a squirrel, placidly hugging 



