i86 BIRD PARADISE 



■of their wings and a little later their loud calls. 

 Looking out I saw the party trying to find their 

 way out to the daily feeding grounds. Their 

 method of getting on was lumbering and heavy, 

 and for a time seemed not much more than mov- 

 ing heavily in rather of a contracted circle. They 

 came down quite close to the ground, dodging 

 here and there among the trees, evidently entirely 

 lost. Some of their movements were most ludi- 

 crous, especially the appearance of surprise when 

 their best endeavor only brought them around to 

 the place they started from a few minutes before. 

 I put in a few shouts accompanied by clapping 

 of hands. It was an element in the day's expe- 

 rience which apparently they had not calculated 

 upon. It made the parson a sort of storm centre 

 in the flock of dusky fellows, and such a hustling 

 as followed the shouts was an exhibition of crow 

 movement where none stayed upon the order of 

 his going. In two or three minutes the entire 

 flock had scattered out in every direction, and I 

 could hear them talking the matter over, no 

 doubt laying blame upon the parson for his 

 rude interference with their well-laid plans. I 

 found some consolation in the fact that the crows 

 in the same situation would have emulated my 

 action to the very letter. K'o other creature in 



