THE AMERICAN CROW. 



are the busybodies of early springtime. Once arrived in their famiUar haunts, 

 they peer into last year's birds' nests, inspect fence-rows, discuss the changes 

 wrought by the wood chopper, hold noisy caucuses in the beech woods, or 

 gather fagots for the early nesting, and their clamor becomes an integral part 

 of the season's impress. 



The dusky bird is a notorious mischief-maker, but he is not quite so 

 black as he has been painted. More than any other bird he has successfully 

 matched his wits against those of man, and his frequent easy victories and 

 consequent boastings are responsible in large measure for the unsavory repu- 

 tation in which he is held. It is a familiar adage in ebony circles that the 

 proper study of Crow-kind is man, and so well has he pursued this study that 

 he may fairly be said to hold his own in spite of fierce and ingenious persecu- 

 tion. He rejoices in the 'name of outlaw, and ages of ill treatment have only 

 served to sharpen his wits and intensify his cunning. 



That the warfare waged against him is largely unnecessary and partly 

 unjust has been pretty clearly proven of late by the scientists who have investi- 

 gated the Ci'ow's food habits. It is true that he destroys large numbers of 

 eggs and nestlings, and that, if allowed to, he will occasionally invade the 

 poultry yard, — and for such conduct there can be no apology. It is true also 

 that some damage is inflicted upon corn in the roasting-ear stage, and that 

 corn left out through the winter constitutes a staple article of Crow diet. But 

 it must be remembered that birds and eggs form only about one-half of one 

 per cent of their fare through the year, and that in the case of corn, they per- 

 form conspicuous services in raising the crop. Professor A. W. Butler, of 

 Indiana, who has given the matter special attention, says: "Most persons 

 are disposed to note losses oftener and remember them longer than benefits. 

 It (the Crow) is found to eat many insects. May beetles, June bugs, and 

 noxious beetles, and quantities of them, are fed to their young. Grasshoppers 

 are eaten all summer, but form the bulk of their food in August. Besides 

 these, many bugs, caterpillars, cut-worms, spiders, etc., are eaten. . 

 It is thought in the more thickly settled portions of the country that the Crow 

 does more good than harm, and if precautions are taken to protect the nests 

 and young poultry and corn, its damage would not be of any considerable 

 consequence." 



There is no reasonable question that the Crow is the smartest bird within 

 our borders. He is such a delightful rascal that he makes an interesting pet, 

 as every wide-awake farmer's boy can testify. If taken from the nest and 

 well treated,^ a young Crow can be given such a large measure of freedom as 

 to fully justify the experiment from a humanitarian standpoint. Altho scat- 

 tered anecdotes of Crow ways fill the pages of popular literature, it is matter 

 of regret that a complete treatise on the psychology of the Crow has never 

 been produced. Such a work would not only afiford entertaining readino-, but 



