The Portland daily press., 1891-05-30
THE TAME CROW.
One of the Most Interesting and
TeachabIe Of Pets.

Natures Realm.]
One of the first pets ever owned was a
crow. He was given to me in a crippled con-
dition, and nursed him patiently for some
weeks until he was able to look out for him.
self pretty well. He always limped and
never could fly, but passed most Of his time
between getting into mischief and escaping
punishment. for both which he showed an
immense amount of talent. He slept in the
barn, and one cold night in winter he failed
in the snow outside the door. N''-
crows make very amusing nets for an,
one who can put up with their innate shirt
Oh uevlltry, and besides that thew can be
taught 70 talk more distinctly than most par.
lots. IL is common idea among all the
ttp ui people that they will not talk unless
Ineir tongues are cut at a certain tender age
be tnat as 1t may, have heard crows talk
eAcellently that never had their tongues cut,
ana some whose tongues are cut never will
taiK at all. always take my chances with
out cutting, and out of nearly dozen that l
nave owned only two proved devoid Of a
bump OF language.
10 be sure of having a good, affectionate
crow, take him away from the nest as soon
after hatchi0g as you can find him. Ii it
is the first Of the brood Matched all the bet
ter: How are you to tell that? Why, If you
nest, does not that settle the question be-
yond dispute? Name him as soon as you get
home. 1t Is good plan to have a family
consultation on this subject, for rechristen-
Ing Is fatal to the proper education of your
callow charge. Always call him by name
whenever you feed him. He will learn his
name before he knows what feathers are,
and respond to 1t whenever he hears it
uttered. Feed, until half fledged, on meal
and water-regular chicken dough-
and tfa1. oh ofal,.
suit the Chicken DOCTOR" In other words,
the young crow must be raised on about
the same diet as a young chicken. Feed
plenty and feed often. "A crows nest is the
best thing to keep him in during his infan-
tute. As he grows in strength and is able to
travel about little he needs more variety in
his food, but be careful be does not swallow
anything that Is very salt Dump handful
OF gravel down his mouth occasionally, and
give him minnows and frogs once in while.
Swallowing his first live frog seems to give
young crew most agreeable new senaton.
Do not be in a hurry about making him
battle. He will wash himself whenever it is
necessary, and If taken and plunged into
cold water while the pin feathers are full of
blood, it may cause him to literally "catch
his death o. cold" AS soon as he Is we'll on
the wing his language lessons should begin.
Shut him up in darkened room when well
fed, and begin by whispering the word or
to be listening repeat it a little louder, and
continue until he either grows restless or
goes to sleep. 1t will be but few minutes.
Repeat the same lesson and nothing else
every time you visit him or pass within hear
ing, for a week or ten days, and If your crow
don't talk in that time he probably never
will. Generally they will begin to practice
to themselves the first or second day of their
imprisonment, but once word or phrase is
learned others will quickly follow. III really
talented, you can make your crow appear to
answer question. For instance, call his
name gently and add what" in loud. en-
phatic Tone Soon, when his name his called
be will respond what" with just the same
emphasis and infection that he has heard
you give. Then, again, If you say sits din
ner time" whenever you feed him, some day
he will walk into the house hungry and
gravely announce, Its dinner time"
AS he grows in years and knowledge your
crow will develop variety of thievish and
amusing tricks too numerous to mention. He
will cultivate the most friendly acquaintance
with some people and show an unaccount-
able luminosity toward others. He will at
tend you part way whenever you leave home
and, If your hours of return are regular, will
probably meet you at the same spot and well
come you exuberantly. Every time he fails
to do so look for him at once; he will either
be In some utterly enhancing bit Of mischief
or else dead,