The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-01-20
A CROWS .R00ST.
INTERESTING DAILY SIGHT
NEAR BALTIMORE.
Many Thousands Of Birds Roasting
Upon Trees-Their Sentry Sys-
tem-Procuring Food-Thc
Crows Particular Foes.

on the line of the Baltimore and Poto-
mac railroad, an interesting sight is wit
messed by travellers in the late afternoon
trains. About o'clock in the afternoon
large numbers of crows, the most strik-
ing objects in our wintry landscape, be-
gin to congregate from various parts OF
the country. Some have been down the
Patapsco river, while others have spent
the day near the headwaters of the Back,
Bush, and Gunpowder rivers, and even
upon the banks of the Susquehanna. By
dark all have returned, and the low trees
on both sides of the railroad track are
covered with thousands and thousands of
these birds. This assembly of the crows
is known as roost, and has been in ex-
istence for many years, changing each
year according to the destruction of the
trees. Now, crows as well as other birds
fly southwark upon the approach of cold
weather, and it is said that whenever
large numbers remain here it is a sign that
the winter will be mild. This year so
many more have remained that the pre-
sumption is that the weather will be un-
usually open, or the crows, who are so
intelligent in other matters, are failures
as weather prophets. Grows resort to
their winter roost in the early fall, as
soon as their young have been sufficiently
trained in thieving and robbery to help
support themselves. They congregate at
this time for mutual protection and main
tenance.
They have perfect sentry system, by
which they are warned of the approach
of enemies, and their particular foe, the
great horned or bubo owl. This bird
dotes on crow. Place before him plump
fowl, mouse, or blackbird, which he
would generally devour, then bring to
him scrawny crow, and he will turn
from the other food and seize it with
avidity. Consequently, when crows
light upon bubo they summon their fel-
lows and apparently become oblivious to
everything else, so great is their rage at
having within their power a mortal
enemy. Several will dash at him and
beat about him with outspread wings.
Driven to desperation he will fly away,
and will Immediately be followed by a
black cloud of tormenters, whose angry,
noisy cawing will be heard when they
are long distance away. 1t is suggested
in this connection that farmers who
are troubled by the visitations of crows
should catch bubo owl and tie him. in
some wood. Then, lying in concealment
with their guns, they would in a short
time be able to play great havoc among
the pests of the corn fields, for where the
bubo is there will the crows be gathered
together. No, the crow will not be
frightened away by the odor of gun
powder. Small boys say that is why one
cannot shoot crow. But it doesn't re-
quire very great while for the crow,
who can, with his kinsman, the raven,
become so we'll educated as to talk and
learn to commit suicide by eating sulphur
matches, to discover that the man down
yonder carries an implement which, if he
can approach near enough, he will point
toward flock; there will be flash, a
curl of smoke, report, some black
feathers will fly into the air. and down to
the ground will tumble in ungraceful
curves one ormore crows whose pilferings
are at an end. So much for their self
preservation.
As to their food crows may be said to
be almost omniverous. In summer time
they will content themselves with eating
the eggs of smaller birds, smaller birds
themselves, young chickens, grain, mice,
etc. But when ice and snow have bound
everything almost in nature, the crows
are hard put to secure food and drink.
Then they travel in large focks, levying
upon barnyards, searching inlets or
creeks for dead fish or other offal, feast
ing upon some dead animal or. other
carrion. and when very hungry attack
ing disabled hare. Some few winters
ago such was the scarcity Of their food
in the country that they whirled through
the principal streets of the city, and
beating down the river following the
wake of the iceboat formed a black
fringe upon the edges of the newly
plowed ice, in search of drink and food.
Though the crow follows civilization,
driving the raven before it, he is a most
cautious creature, and displays a great in
telligencc in eluding snares or dangers OF
any kind. For several months the crows
will bide at their roost at night, flying
away during the day and returning at
evening in straight tine, from which
they will deviate only to aid one of their
fellows. They will 60 to almost any
ends to do this, and the large open field
in Druid Hill park has been seen black
with them, tapping their wings and
uttering their cries over the mishap to
one of them.
In the early spring the roost is desert
ed, and mating begins. Then each crow
selects certain region of which nc IS
sole monarch, and 10 other crow dare
trespass there unless summoned for as
sistance. People differ as to the balance
between the good and bad qualities OF
the crow. While he may destroy the
eggs and young of smaller and useful
birds, and commit such depredations
upon the coru-ields as to cause the
husbandman to go to a great deal OF
trouble in dcvising scarc-crows, yet he
renders service to the farmer in destroy
ing grub-worms. molcs, snakes, and
noxious insects. His characteristics may
be summed up as follows: The crow IS
as wise as the serpent and as harmless as
the English sparrow.-Bdhimore Sun.