The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-11-12

sounds it utters being less widely diff
ferentiated, but its speech is more
human like. A parrots voice has
been compared to that of crazy per-
son, whereas the remarks made by a
crow in the next room are readily mis-
taken for those Of human being. AS
imitators, however, parrots are unsur-
passed, and their mimicry of laughing,
whistling, chucking and other such
sounds is often marvellous.
If you want to get talking crow,
says DR.. Wood, your best plan is to
hire small boy, some time in April
or May, to obtain half fcdgcd young
one from the nest. Bring it up by
hand, and talk to it great deal, re-
pcating the same thing over and over
again. Kindness is the proper discip-
line to use. And on no account split
the birds tongue--a bit Of cruelty
often practiccd in obedience to an
absurd popular notion that crow
conversation powers are increased by
such surgical treatment. The result
of your experiment will depend largely
upon chance, inasmuch as some crows
are born takers, while others are much
less gifted in this respect.
Ravens and .nagpics, which belong
to the crow family, are good takers.
All three are among the most intelli-
gent Of birds, and bcstow great affec-
tion upon their owners, when kept in
captivity. DR. Wood, some years ago,
had crow which amused itself by
coasting down an inclined plank. 1t
spent hours together at this sport,
using the top of a mustard tin for it's
sled. 1t would carry the sled up to
the top Of the plank, step into it, and
slide to the bottom, repeating the
operation again and again with the
greatest glee.
The sounds initiative Of human
speech, which are uttered by the par
rot and the crow, have nothing to do,
OF course, with bird language properly
speaking. 1t is the birds own talk,
in DR.. Woods opinion, that is really
interesting and worthy of study.
Having the best Of feathered CONVEX
sationalists under our daily observa.
tion in the farmyard, there is no good
reason why we should not make be-
ginning in this kind of knowledge
with an inquiry into the elem cats of
talk. Each species of bird
has its own language, SO that the field
of research in this line is sufficiently
wide. Some day, perhaps, lexicon
OF bird speech may be published in
dozen volumes or 30 for the instruc-
tion of nature lovers.
The ROSTERS crow at night is note
OF watchfulness, or of response to vhe
cry of other cocks. He means to say
that he is on guard, and that "all is
we'll. > at other times he will crow
in defiance, and, if separated from his
mates, he is apt to crow right along
being agitated and anx-
ious. When he meets another cook
and combat threatens he utters a
peculiar chuokle and drops one wing.
This means fight. But the other
rooster is younger perhaps, and does
not Feel as yet quite big and strong
enough to risk conflict. So ne lowers
his tail, and begins to sing like hen.
A moment later he sinks away.
In making ready to fight, the first
rooster utters short, sharp note of
defiance. When his opponent has de-
parted from the field, he crows tri-
umphantly. Then he goes to hunt for
and, on discovering delicaoy
of tho sort, summons his hens by
peculiar cackle that is one of the most
familiar of the vocal sounds Of the
farmyard. Now and then, though
rarely, 'swhile resting by himself in
corner, he will give utterance to pc.
culiar song Of his own-a fine, low
whistling. Probably it is sign of
content.
The:hen has three songs, quite dis
tinct from each other. One is @ mere
note of abstraction-a Grooming to
herself while she is looking for some
thing to cat. Another is call to the
cock when she finds herself separated
from him, and the third is uttered
when she is about to 60 TO her nest to
lay. She addresses a sharp cry of
warning to her young when peril
threatens, and has gentle note for |
80 hHsh the chickens to sleen.
When the chicks are asleep they |
make small chippering noise that
evidently signifies contentment. If |
hny IL l.