The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-01-09

! these bird. This assembly of tn
s-.-,.--4sarffsyw sa,.
been in existence for many years,
changing each year according to the
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 presumption is either that the
weather will he unusually open, or
that crows, who are so intelligent in
other matters, are failures as weather
prophets. Crows resort to their win.
ter roOst in the early fall, as soon as
their young have been sufficiently
trained in thieying and robbery to
help support themselves, They con-
gregate at this time for mutual pro.
lection and maintenance.
They have perfect sentry system
by which they ale warned of the APP
pr0ach of enemies, and their particu.
/ lar foe, the great horned or BuhO owl.
This bird d0tes on crow, Place be-
fore him a plump fowl, mouse or a
black bird, which he would generally
devOur; then bring to him scrawny
crow, and he will turn from the other
food and seize it with avidity. Con-
sequentIy, when crows light upon
the Buho, they summon their fellows
and apparently become oblivious to
everything else, so great is their rage
at having within their power a NOR
tai enemy. Several will dash at him
and beat about him with outspread
will fly away -a,aa-zyiillIl iialaed IL is t.eels1
be followed by black cloud of tor
mentors, whose angry noisy cawing
will be heard when they are a 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 con-
cealment with their guns, they would
in short time he able to play great
havoc among the pests of the cora
fields, for where the Bubo is. there
will the crows be gathered together,
No, the crow will not be frightened
away by the order Of powder.
Small boys say that is why one cam
not shoot crow. But it doesn't re-
quire very great while for the crow,
who can, with his kinsman, the ra-
van, become so well educated as to
talk and learn to commit suicide hy
eating sulphur matches, to discover
that the man down yonder carries an
implement which, if he can approach
near enough, he will point towards
the flock there will be flash, a curl
of smoke, report, some black feath-
ers will fly into the air, and down to
the ground will tumble in ungraceful
curves one or more crows whose pill
ferings are at an end. So much for
their seIf-preservation.
AS to their food crows may be said
to be almost omniverous. In sum-
mer time they will content them.
selves with eating the eggs of small
er birds, smaller birds themselves,
yddg rfSitke ( si ate
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
flocks, levyIng upon barnyards,
searching inlets or creeks for dead
fish or other offal, feasting upon some
dead animal or other carrion, and
when very hungry attacking a dis
abed hare. SGme few winters ago
such was the scarcity of their food in
the country that they whirled through
the principal streets of the city, and
heating down the river following the
wake of the icebOat formed black
fringe upon the edges of the newly
plUWed ice, in search of drink and
food. Though the crow follows civ
iization, driving the raven before it,
he is a most cautious creature, and
displays great intelligence including
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 even
ing in a straight line, from which
they will deviate only to aid one of