descent from a height of many hundred 

 feet exhibits aerial prowess surpassing- in 

 daring elegance those of any other land 

 bird with which I am acquainted. It is 

 their invariable custom to descend to 

 some spot in the neighborhood, from 

 one-half to a quarter of a mile from the 

 roost, preliminary to assembling there 

 for the night's repose. This may be 

 either upon the adjoining fields or on 

 woodland tracts near by. Such prelimi- 

 nary gatherings, as Godman observes, 

 seem to have a definite object — either for 

 toilet or gastronomic purposes — a time, 

 also, if we may judge by the clamor, of 

 general conversation, some rejoicing, 

 some repining, in their varied experience 

 of the last twelve hours. 



*The aerial evolution of this descend- 

 ing multitude, coupled with the surging 

 clamor of those which have already set- 

 tled as successive re-enforcements appear, 

 and which at a distance greatly resem- 

 ble the far-aw^ay roar of the sea, may 

 justly awaken emotions of sublimity in 

 the spectator. To descend almost per- 

 pendicularly from a height of one thou- 

 sand feet above the earth to the very tree 

 tops and then glide above them on half 

 closed wrings with a resultant momentum 

 that is almost startling in its arrow-y 

 velocity, is a favorite manoeuver and 

 when two such play fellows pursue each 

 other in this headlong swoop their turn- 

 ings and twistings and doubling contor- 

 tions amaze the beholder. ^ ^ ^ 

 Until sunset this novel scene continues 

 without interruption, whilst field and for- 

 est in the vicinity of their great dormi- 

 tory are shrouded by the thousands 

 which have alighted ; and were it not for 

 the deafening clamor, the living pall 

 which overspreads the scene might well 

 suggest a land of mourning and death. 

 When they settle on the ground on such 

 occasions they resemble gulls on a sand 

 bar, each standing motio^nless with its 

 head toward the breeze. The whole 

 thing seems unnecessary, as they mostly 

 do nothing but cry out to their compan- 

 ions in the air and tumultuously applaud 

 their hairbreadth escapes and feats of 

 daring, yet sitting quietly until the set- 

 ting sun warns them to make ready for 

 the last act — going to bed. 



'Tf we understood Crow language. 



perhaps we could now recognize a dis- 

 tinct signal from some grand master of 

 their assembly, summoning all to repose. 



"Be this as it may, a similar impulse 

 seizes the throng and the air fairly dark- 

 ens as successive companies take wing 

 and in silence betake themselves to the 

 roost, flying low as if to avoid observa- 

 tion. Many Crows in approaching the 

 place of preliminary gathering neces- 

 sarily fly over the roost, but not a bird 

 enters it until the general movement 

 begins after sunset. The self-imposed 

 discipline and obedience of such an army 

 puts to shame the strictest military code. 



''On one occasion I observed large 

 companies arriving in the roost, at a 

 time of full moon, for nearly an hour 

 after sunset. Between the intervals of 

 arrival all w^ould become quiet in their 

 bedchambers, but, as a more belated com- 

 pany drew near, their cries were re- 

 sponded to by the roosting Crows in a 

 different tone. The fliers would hur- 

 riedly ejaculate 'yur, yur, yur,' giving 

 each utterance a rising inflection, as if 

 inquiring anxiously of their whereabouts, 

 while those in the roost answered in a 

 falling, drawling tone by slowdy repeat- 

 ing the usual 'caw' and lengthening it to 

 'ca-aw,' 'ca-aw,' 'ca-aw,' as if to assure 

 their friends they were resting comforta- 

 bly." 



Fully as interesting is the process of 

 rising from their roosts in the morning. 

 "After an hour's babel a few Crows essay 

 to take leave, but as soon as this folly is 

 observed it literally 'brings down the 

 house,' and when one imagines the simul- 

 taneous shout of twenty acres of Crows, 

 one may not wonder that 'the house' is 

 fully able to bring down the Crowds. The 

 few Crows resume their perches and 

 comparative quiet is restored." After 

 several like attempts with similar results 

 about sunrise they begin to depart in 

 detachments of from five hundred to one 

 thousand amid the wildest enthusiasm. 

 As the time for mating approaches the 

 birds scatter and begin pairing quite early 

 in the spring. They sometimes nest in 

 colonies. Mr. Amos W. Butler speaks of 

 a locality in Indiana where probably five 

 hundred nests could be found on an area 

 of two or three acres. 



125 



