The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-10-10
A MIscHIEy0Us BIRD.
THE COMMON GROW HAS THAT
REPUTATION.
some Of tho Amusing and Sometimes An
soying Peculiarities of That sable
Bird When Converted Into
Domcatio Pet

NO OF all feathcfeu CrcdthrSS. III "~NA | I
ion TO a talking aptitude second only
10 the parrot. IL is the most cunning
md most tricky OF NIL birds II Is our
familiar dusl1y friend. the crow. and II
Won prefer the more poetical name, you
NAV call Il the raven, for there Is only
a slight archaeological difference be-
tween Corvus Americans and Corvus
corax. There Is no harder bird IN the
world. and none whose range OF ell
mate Is wider. The crow Is found IN
every degree OF latitude from the equa-
tor TO near the polar circles. and al
though there are some differences OF
species. he Is everywhere the same cum
ming old rascal disguised in manner
OF dignity and sodateness behtting
parson.
As he thus lives everywhere 1t Is
uerhaps not so strange that the crow
seems 20 think he owns the earth.
Anyway, he is born combination OF
pirate and bandit, for he will steal
clans on the seashorc, kill and eat
young squirrels on u mountain top ana
sneakingly suck eggs OF any Kind
wherever he gets the chance.
Some wise physicians tell us that
excessive eating is detrimental 10
health. and they are probably right
but II this statement should be uttered
in the presence OF an accomplished old
crow il would probably provoke know
ing twinkle in his eye. Gluttony and
longevity seem 10 be on the best OF
6erms in the crow family. A hungry
oamin nj a Christmas dinner will eat
until he Is too full for utterance, but
n crow has been known TO feed until u
dropped dead. And yet there are relia-
bio ac counts Of crows elualing the most
venerable parrots in longevity, living
TO be seventy, eighty and even nun
dred years old.
In the wild state the crow terrorizes
nearly all other birds. In the early
spring. when they build their nests in
!, the tops Of high trees. the crows Will
tolerate nothing else OF feathered kind
near them Their desire for exclusive
ness Is so marked that an old pair Will
even drive their own youngsters from
home just as soon as they are bil
enough TO shift for themselves and
earn their own living.
But that feature Of crow life tina
we might call tho judiciary system ha'
interested ornithologists more thar
: anything else. There seems TO be ne
doubt that crows have a judicial sys
TEN for the trial and punishment o
. culprits. According TO the account
= OF reputable observers the crow court
i are conducted something after TN
: fashion:
y A solemn conclaye OF old croakers
held on "A tree. A crestfallen prisone
Is among them. Three or four oil
fellows, propably crow lawyers, wi
iapber away for awhile and then Their
will be an apparent consultation OF IN
y whole flock, sitting as a jury. II tn
= verdict be against the prisoner he
sentenced 20 death and turned over
. tho oxecutioners who peck the life OF
OF him.
. In his domesticated state the GRO
40 Il n feathered anomaly. IL can
y trained TO catch other birds, TO carr
~ small parcels and 10 do all sorts
u amusing tricks, in addition TO sue
~ linQual accomplishments as distingun
" the parrot. Goldsmith, the naturaps
=, says: II have heard the raven sir
~ with great distinctness, accuracy al
nv humor tho whole Of popular song
The same author. while characterizii
the bird as "a glutton by nature and
thief by habit. recognizes his hum
la by saving, II have seen one. III
lei while amusing himself with pooc
r. dog and unable TO keep pace with
~ four-footed playfellow, would SCI
OF him by n lock OF hair and hold
nr- tennciously while the dog was care
mo ing at full gallop.N
we The domesticatod crow, in fact 4
NAV black embodiment Of fun and rascal
de, lie will play all sorts OF FRANKS
ma dogs, cats and poultry, and he v
'er' steal anything that he Is strong enou
10 lug away TO the nook or GREY
whore he conccals his property. l.
do. the born pilierer that he Is, he does
ano conhne his thefts 10 what he wants
eat. nor TO what no can posi-
min utilize i'm any way He seems 20 h
.un. special weakness for such valua
things as iewelry. silverware and
tallic money. Many a person has b
suspected and even arrested for Tn
!, committed by the demure but cr'
'uo and thievish pet crow.
ass The superstition that the crow
ny bird OF evil omen Is hardly worth {
rus- sidering In our day. IL probably
MS It's origin I'm the association OF