The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-08
CUNNING OF The CROW.
He Knows How TO Keep Out of Gun
Range.


"As the crow flies" has become a pro-
J verb for directness OF flight, for the near
J est line between two distant points. His
! awkward sweep OF wings will carry him
along without apparant effort at a rate
| of from forty TO nifty miles an hour, and
/ I'm staying powers there are few birds
! which can match proves with the crow.
His song Is not a varied one. The
ouerulous lnquisitlve cav cav that
he sends out, Is loud and curt. and car
ries with IL an apDrehensive tone, as
though he would Ike 10 hear a responsive
and assuring cry from one Of his own
kind, for with bullet, trap and shotgun Is
! he remorselessy sought and as he Is
more and more hunted. he grows ex-
| ceedingly cunning. and his habits OF re-
| firing modestly becomes almost a mania
I with him About long rife range Is as
near as he Is comfortable with a man In
! the average ueighbOrhOOd whore person
| IS I'm a buggy or wa gon. the crow, lko
many other birds. does not get so sus-
piciOus OF the occupants OF the vehiclo
IS he would be of "a pedestrian. And yet.
4 man sets out deliberately 20 hunt them
day in and day out Tor any length OK
time on hors back or from a rig.they
will soon get the drift OF his scheme and
refuse 10 be gulled. IN only two states
that / know OF are the crows mentioned
I'm the game laws. And there they are
only named as not being protected. In
many parts OF the country there Is
bounty for them the year round.
Buckingham IS on The sea
or with his head"
And from two 10 1--WE cents a head IS
paid for them IN various sections or tho
states The boys and men OF these par
tlcular localities hunt them perseveriugiy.
D. I
crows with a dOubie-tarreled shotgun for
a couple OF weeks with very fair success.
The birds freduented old orchards a good
deal. which were Usually iucl0sed by stone
walls from three 20 tour feet high. | used
10 prowl around until : saw a crow keep
fng a sharp ioo'y0ut from the top Of an
annie tree r. 3 bird WIS the temporary
chairman OF the meeting Of the crows.
sort OF "sentinei-am-r' crow. Af'er he
had been no I'm the tree for a few minutes
he would flv down and presently another
tird would hy IN and take his place. In
the stor, interval between cf'ard duty
would make a run and crouch behind tho
stone wall nearest me. n then became u
cautious s'aik 20 ger wifhip range by
running a little way each time the guard
r--o''nf was shifted n worked ~ a charm
for some time J would approach within
twenty or thirty Yards % them and when
a lone StnilnHi new fNWN tfffF ! ma
creot within range. I would get In one
barrel at the bunch on the ground and
another shot rs the survivors rose. I
averaged M least three crows 10 each
dOrhie discharge. or course n was pot
hunting" but I consider the crows as
vermin and shot them con The wing. on
the head. on the tall--anywhere."
II was very exciting stalking for awhile
but thew sfoDred " by 2 s'n'nle method OF
bird reasoning The seminal crow finally
got 10 waiting nntn his 'rc'lof' few ~
into the tree before be few down 10 io'n
the gang I'm the ochard. with a lookout
always In the tree my Occupation as 4
crow hupfer wps zone. 7 conla not begin
10 get within shotgun rluge % 'hen Tho
minute tried ~ male n sneak on them
the alarm was given. ani awav 'hev went
20 some other mart 90 tho 'ownship. T
kfi'ed 2 Few ~'''h rias after that. but
not manv.-Ch'caeo Record.