336 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph by Dr. J. B. Pardoe 



BLACK AXD WHITE, A STUDY IN CONTRASTS 



A dog and a crow would seem to be strange playmates, but a student of bird life tells of 

 two such comrades who were raised on a farm. The chief sport of the crow consisted in 

 laying a stick within easy reach of the dog while the latter slept, then waking him with a nip 

 on the heels. Whereupon, the bird would seize the stick and fly across the field with the dog 

 in hot pursuit. The chase would continue until both play-fellows were exhausted (see text, 

 page 329). 



crow from all blame in connection with 

 the damage inflicted on sprouting corn 

 or on the harvest before it has been re- 

 moved from the fields. It is one case 

 where stomach examination is hardly 

 necessary ; but stomach examination has 

 been made and it has convicted the bird. 

 The court of last appeal has returned an 

 adverse verdict, with, however, a recom- 

 mendation for clemency. 



In the Middle ^'est. where fields of 

 corn reach to the horizon and beyond, the 

 crow is an unimportant factor, though it 

 is present in considerable numbers. The 

 birds, no doubt, take their toll, but the 

 crop is so great that their depredations 

 are insignificant. 



In smaller fields — for instance, in the 

 hilly sections of northern New Jersey — 

 damage is often severe. But even here 

 one can resort to measures that in the 



main will frustrate the crow's intentions. 

 That same shrewdness that stands the 

 crow in such good stead in its struggle 

 for existence may be used by man to ac- 

 complish his own ends. No bird detects 

 danger and remembers unfortunate ad- 

 ventures more readily than the crow. 

 Even the use of coal-tar, with its gassy 

 smell, applied to seed grain has brought 

 relief from the corn-pulling crow, and 

 the killing of a few birds, either by shoot- 

 ing or by the use of poisoned grain, will 

 usually secure immunity for small fields. 



THE CROW LEARNS HIS LESSON IN WASH- 

 INGTON STATE 



While poison should be used spar- 

 ingly and judiciously, so as not seriously 

 to endanger other wild life, there is no 

 • jnestion of its efficacy against crows. 



This fact was never more forcefullv 



