Song Birds and Water Fowl 



thing of an art, or of a gift, and exceedingly 

 good philosophy, to rejoice in the shadow until 

 the substance comes. 



Along the water's edge one quite as often sees 

 a very different sort of bird, jet black, like goats 

 over against the sheep in the oceanic pasture — 

 a vulgar terrestrial delegation, a pack of crows ; 

 which, however unlike sea fowl by nature, 

 may well be included in the list of winter coast- 

 birds, driven thither in part by the failure of 

 their other sources of supply. Probably they are 

 never to be seen in such large flocks as on the 

 sea-shore and in the adjoining forests during win- 

 ter. Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America 

 divide the honors equally of harboring this cos- 

 mopolitan fowl. Almost the only stirring inci- 

 dent that once relieved a long railroad ride 

 across a third part of Germany was the im- 

 mense flocks of crows plundering the grain- 

 fields bordering the track, and, rising like 

 thunder-clouds at our approach, making for 

 the woods, yelling like demons, only to re- 

 turn as soon as we had passed. I have never 

 seen them elsewhere in such vast numbers ; pos- 

 sibly, because they are more appreciated and 

 less persecuted there than in America. For 

 the world is slowly learning that there are two 



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