which is spoken of so respectfully in 

 the Scriptures." 



"Who would ever have thought, but 

 for your talks, Auntie, that our own 

 common birds have so many interesting 

 traits? Do go on. Are there any other 

 polite or selfish birds?" 



"Yes, some birds are very polite and 

 helpful. On cold mornings one may 

 be seen in the character of host perched 

 on the top! of a seed-loaded weed. He 

 shakes the stalk and the seeds are scat- 

 tered thick on the white tablecloth of 

 crusted snow. Tree sparrows, j uncos 

 and other birds gather to the feast, and 

 a merry breakfast for all is provided by 

 the thoughtful care of the host. 



"The titmouse, also, is so polite that 

 if a larger bird seizes his food he will 

 wait patiently until he has an oppor- 

 tunity to gather up his breakfast unmo- 

 lested. 



"The golden-crested wren is a small 

 bird with a big appetite, said to be able 

 to dispose of 3,000,000 caterpillars' eggs 

 and chrysalids yearly. He is good- 

 natured as well as industrious, laughing 

 in the face of the bleakest storm. 



"But the bluebird, sweet herald of 

 spring, with a bit of the sky on his 

 wings, has* the most pleasing, confiding 

 manners. He sits close to his mate and 

 puts the most deHcious morsels in her 

 mouth. He uses the tenderest, most de- 

 voted expressions of his love- in liquid 

 bird phrase. But he is extremely jeal- 

 ous of a rival and will drive him away, 

 always using the minor tone, as he 

 seems incapable of scolding harshly. 

 His song is short suggesting a reserve 

 power. He is no operatic singer like 

 the bobolink on the feathered stage. He 

 has been well styled a sweet song blos- 

 som on a tree and his flight a poem in 

 itself." 



As Aunt Jane paused, Howard said: 

 "I do wonder how much poetry you 

 could find in such a subject as the 

 crow ?" 



"The crow is a bird generally known, 

 but one of the least loved of all — with 

 no excellence of flesh, beauty of plum- 

 age, melody of voice or amity of man- 



ner to commend him. A black-coated 

 vagabond, a thief and plunderer, yet 

 strange to say, he stands at the head of 

 the list of birds as the one with largest 

 brain and keenest intelligence. Huxley 

 says birds are greatly modified reptiles. 

 How long it has been since they at- 

 tained feathers and warm blood, who 

 shall say? 



"But scientists affirm that chief 

 among these glorified reptiles is the de- 

 spised crow. But perhaps the crOw, 

 'out on his eternal vacation,' is not so 

 despicable a bird as is usually supposed. 

 Thoreau says he would rather hear his 

 familiar 'caw' than the voice of most ora- 

 tors. The crow has, it is stated, twenty- 

 six distinct calls or utterances, each of 

 which has connection with a certain 

 class of actions. It is conceded that to 

 all appearances crows hold courts, have 

 trial by jury, when the entire assembly 

 fall upon the prisoner and kill him. Livy 

 tells a pretty story of how, when Marcus 

 Valerius was challenged to combat by 

 a gigantic Gaul, a crow came to his 

 assistance, attacking the Gaul with beak 

 and talons until Valerius slew him. 

 Afterward Valerius was surnamed 

 Corons, in memory of his gallant and 

 courageous assistant. 



"The Vikings, aware of the keenness 

 of the crow's scent and vision, used it 

 as a pilot in their wanderings. Pro- 

 phetic powers were also supposed to be- 

 long to the crow." 



"Bravo!" cried Howard, "you did not 

 succeed in finding much poetry in the 

 crow, but what an array of science, his- 

 tory and prophecy! I shall take off my 

 hat to Sir Crow the next time I meet 

 him." 



"Thank you so much," said Alice, 

 "for your helpful talk in the beginning 

 of our bird study efiforts. We hope 

 some one of us, at least, may have some- 

 thing of Thoreau's success, of whom it 

 is said: 



'All her shows did Nature yield 

 To please and win this pilgrim wise. 

 He found the tawny thrushes brood, 

 And the sky hawk did wait for him.' " 



Belle Paxson Drury. 



140 



