Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-09-30
TIE cRoW AS a Per.

The GROW AS A PET.
A Mischievous Bird That Can BE Taught
to Talk Better Than = Parrot.
| Crows make very amusing pets for
anyone who can put up with their in
nate spirit Of deliltry, and besides that
they can be taught to talk more dis
tinctly than most parrots. 1t is COM
mon idea among the country people
that they win not talk unless their
tongues are cut at q certain tender age.
Be that as Il may, have heard crows
talk excellently that never had their
tongues cut, and some whose tongues
are cut never will talk at all. / always
take my chances without cutting, and
out of nearly dozen that have owned
only two proved void of bump of lam
guage.
To be sure of having a good, affec-
tionate crow. take him from the nest as
soon after Matching as you can find him.
If it Is the first of the brood Matched, all
the better. How are you to tell that?
| Why, If you fnd one baby crow and
four eggs in the nest, does not that set
tie the question beyond dispute? Name
him as soon as you get home. 1t is
6OOA PA1A W hhfC q AuA4A4J
on this subject, for a notwithstanding is
fatal to the proper education of your
callow charge. Always call him by
name when you feed him. He will
learn his name before he knows what
feathers are, and respond to it when
ever he hears it uttered. Feed, until
half-fedged, on meal and water
regular chicken dough''-and if any
chicken sickness" come on consult 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 infantile days. If you
haven't one make a substitute. AS he
grows in strength and is able to travel
about little he needs more variety in his
food, but be careful he does not swallow
anything that is very salt. Dump a
handful of gravel down his mouth oo-
casionAlly, and give him minnows and
frogs once in awhile. Swallowing his
first live frog seems to give a young
crow a most agreeable new sensation.
Do not be in any hurry about making
him battle. He will wash himself
WAOAOFOA AZ 40 ACCCbSdIy1 dIIu TAKEN
and plunged into cold water while the
pinfeathers are full of blood it MAJ
cause him to literally ''catch his death
O. cold" AS soon as he is well on the
wing his language lesson should begin.
Shut him up in a darkened room when
well fed, and begin by whispering the
word or phrase you wish him to learn.
If he seems to listen, 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 week or ten days. and if your
crow don't talk in that time he proba-
bly, 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. If really talented, you
can make your crow appear to answer
any question. For instance, call his
name gently and add what" in loud,
emphatic tone. Soon. when his name
is called, he will respond what with
| just the same emphasis and infection
that he has heard you give. Then,
again, If you say Its dinner time"
whenever you feed him, some day he
will walk into the house hungry and
gravely announce: ''It's dinner time. :"
AS he grows in years and knowledge
your crow will develop a variety of
thievish and amusing tricks too numer-
Gus to mention. He will cultivate the
most friendly acquaintance with some
| people, and show an unaccountable
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 welcome you exuberant-
ly. 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.-Nature's Realm.