The times., 1901-04-21

Price Once on Their Heads |
Probably next TO he English sparrow |
in Doint of general worthlessness IS !
the old field crow. 1t is known Ihal |
one stretch Of timber has provided |
sleeoing quarters for as many as NIL
lion crows crows during the winter
months when these black birds are wont
TO huddIe themselves together to keep
from, freezing and in order that they
may be enabled to resume their depre-
dations upon the grain of the helds as
soon as the weather and the crop con
ditions will permit. In many locatIIleS
crows flock together at night ana ire
ouentlv 100000 to 100000, a sufficient mum
Der to devasJate farm IN single Gay
find roosting places in the tan trees oi d
few acres. -
II is impossl0.e to estimate the number
of crows in this country alone, but II Is
probable that there are at least TWO OF
tbree for every one of the SeVenty-IiNe
millions of human beings in the Unlted
states And this guess may only I"li
short of the actual number by le" nun
dred millions The birds are not Worlh
the trouble il would take to ascertain the
fact That is. unless every state IN lhe
1rnion would do as Maryland once DID
enact law allowing cents for every
head rEtStlAtA III l't's AAiN-AN
taxes.
About the most sensible thing the crow
has ever been known to do is to gather
she'll FISH along the shores bays, and 9TH
or sheets of salt water, and after lying
high into the air TO drop them clam or
rptsssel or oyster upon the rocky surface
below. cracking the shell and enabling the
bird TO get at the meat within This Is
one of the rarest tricks of the crow as
p type of bird, although Emperor Nllllam
has a pet crow that affords ms lmperlal
Majesty great amusement 10y marching
before a column Of soldiers on dress pa
rade with all the manifest air ana llh-
pulse of the genuine German husSar.
NOT HIGHLY RESPECTED As BIRDS.
The crow. however, is much more IN
teresting bird than most people think. 10
most minds he is simply loathesome'
carrion-eating bird with thieVing dis
position In short, he is regarded as
diabolicaI and fit only TO be shot. Crows
are notoriously clannish, and except dur
ing a few weeks of nesting time are ac-
tually seen in fiocks. Moreover, even
while nesting they are more or less gre
garious for although two nests are sell
dom built on the same tree, yet nan
dozen pairs often build within easy near
ing distance Of each other and II one De
disturbed all are likely 10 unite Tor com
mon protection or protest. During migra-
ton crows commonly travel IN Nocks OF
varying size, and IN autumn they cohsre-
gate in large numbers. but only during
winter DO they unite 10 roost IN immense
communities. Many roosts are known
where not less than 10000 crows spend
The night during winter, and II is claim
ed that the roost near Bristol, Pa
accommodates more than million OF the
big black birds nightly during the cold
season
Most of these roosting places have been
used year after year IN the same way
al rral FOR q
years and the same general LOCALITY prob
ably for centuries.
Some OF the roosts are in thick pines
OF other evergreens not necessarily large
trees, but such as afford protection dur
ing storms Others are in oaks. naples,
popiars, etc. while thick growths OF viii
low and alder are chosen occasionally
On the Delaware River crows have
roasted among reeds or coarse grass ard
brushwood oYergrowing low islands.
Whatever be the nature OF the place cho-
sen. crows often begin to gather IN the
neighborhoOd several hours before night
fall. but do not actually Settle upon the
roost until # is almost dark. They be
gin 10 leave the roost soon after day
break, scattering over the surrounding
country for several miles around.
Seven miles southwest from Baltimore a
half mile southeast Of Arbutus Station,
ola the Baltimore and Potomac Railway
is tract of land half mile square
on which are several patches of woods
which furnish a roosting ground for a
winter colony Of crows 1t seems from
the EeSllEn0nN OF Ifle owners Dl TINS ldllt
that the crows have roasted there fol
about twelve years. having previously oc
Cupied piece Of woods a half mile oi
more TO the westward. which they aban
doned when house-building and wood
cutting by the inhabitants made it unde
sirable.
crows that gather here Is not possible
but even the most conservative observer
place it among the hundreds Of thou
AT various times estimates Of the mum
Der Of crows resorting TO the roost in ant
near Arlington Cemetery, Just across tn
Potomac from Washington, have heel
made. Examination Of the woods at on
time showed that the colony occupied
twelve to fifteen acres. Counting lO,00Q {
the acre the total would be from lZo,VJ
to 10000 crows The most conSerVatiV
estimate of the number roosting at an
one point il the vicinity placed the mum
Der at $500.
CROWS HEADS FOR TAXES.
The immense winter colonies Of crow
in tie neighborhood Of Chesapeake Ba
early attracted the attention OF natural
lists, and it was in the years 1909 to IS
that they increased SO rapidly and wci
so destructive in Maryland that the Stat
Government. 10 hasten their diminutiol
received their heads in payment for taS
eS, at the price OF cents each. u
stOrckeepers bought them Of the boys an
hunters, who had no taxes to pay, at
rather lower rate, or exchanged pOwd'
and shot for them. This measure cause
great havoc among the crows and in
few years greatly diminished the
numbers that the bounty was withdraw
TWO modes OF shooting them in CO.
siderable number were followed, and wi
great success. one that Of killing the
on the wing while on their way 10 Il
roosts and the other attacking them
night in their roost after they had be-
asleep for several hours. But the graz
harvest Of crow heads was derived fro
invasion Of their lodging places. II
roOst is most commonly the densest pi
ghicket that can be found, generally at
great distance from some river, bay
other sheet Of water, which is the last
freeze or rarely * altogether frozen.
Endless columns pour in from variO
quarters and pitch upon their accustom
perches. CroWding close together for [
benefit Of the warmth and the shelter
1orded by the thick foliage of the piT
The trees are frequently literally bent
their weight
There IS one roost Of great age and ma
nifceut extent in the vicinity Of Ro
Creek an arm Of the Patapsco. There a
also numerous roOsts on the rivers ope
ing into the Chesapeake Bay, and are
erywhere similar IN their general aspe
To gather crows heads from the roOi
very large party was made up Accord
10 the extent Of surface occupied by
roOst. Armed with double-barreled sh
guns md duck guns. which threw lar
charge Of shot. the company was diViG
into small parties, and took stations
lected during the daytime so as TO 81
round the roost as nearly as possible.
dark night was always preferred, as
crows could not fly far when alarm
s,I He tv4e until faea