Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-20
HOW CROWS HELP FOX HuNrERs
Antipathy of the Birds to Reynard-
Owls Raid on a Crows Nest
FUTURE DAYS
From the Bangor News,

From the Bangor News
For some reason crows have seated ana
mortal antipathy to foxes AS crows bu,Ia
their nests in tree. where no fox can
climb. and as an adult crow can escane
nom any fox by flying, we cannot under.
stand why all crows seek to harass and de.
stroy every fox they see But we know
'his to be fact, as we have watched the
performances of crows when foxes were
near many times
The best time to realize the malice of the
average crow against the average fox is ON
q oitteriy cold day in early winter when
the frost gems the sapling trees and when
.he MOUNDS can follow fox trail without
.ouchlng their noses to the snow On such
days II there are any crows about thev can
De relied upon to show where the fox rs
hounds. w '"'
we have seen crows watch for running
foxes on such occasions for hours al a
time and as soon as a fox emerged from
the thick woods and let a crow get a
glmpse OF It's body every bird would hover
over the running beast and peck at II ana
scold IL and show marked evidence of a BIT.
ter hatred. Several fox hunters whom we
know make practice of following the
alert crows when the foxes are roaming
across back lots. claiming that the birds
are fully as reliable as hounds and less
trouble to maintain. Though we cannot
tel how or why the crows became so Bit
such Is the case and we also know that
owing to the friendly tips furnished by the
crows many foxes meet their end every
winter.
Up here inland. in the vicinity of Bangor
and further north. the few vigorous crows
that still remain among US are finding it
hard work to get a living. One sees them
flying across the frosty fed before sunrise
on cold mornings and watches them az
they peer into tufts of grass and heaps OF
rubbish in the hope of finding a mouse or
belated toad. After the sun had thawed
the south sides of the woods these same
birds stalk along the brown fields and pick
up the numbed crfckets and grasshoppers.
working very hard for q small amount or
food.
Just before sunset the harsh cry of the
leaders call the scattered groups together
and marshal them fouE their homeward
journey. AS the dusk thickens we see them
fitting among the shadows-a darker blot
against the gathering darkness, and watch
them as they move I'm Indian file to the
dark evergreen woods Of Eddington. Here.
among the sheltering limbs, they preen
themselves and settle down for repose,
though hardly night passes without the
colony being awakened by a proving owl.
1t takes much time and patience to see
an owl assault a crow. AS rule the
roosts that are filled with the most birds
are near the tops of the trees-about ten
feet below the spirelike apex and on limbs
from six to ten feet long. Limbs that are
surrounded by dense brush are preferred.
anu when u pace Ol tfllS KIM Is dS
many as three or four crows roost side by
side. The best time to observe a colony
of roostfng crows is on windy and clear
night when the moon rises after midnight.
Cold weather whets the appetites of owls
as well as other birds. and SO long as the
crows remain the chances Of their receiving
company every night are very good. one
must have quick and accurate eyes to OBJ
serve the approach of an owl. All birds
which fly by night have downy wings,
which make no noise when in motion. One
sees a darker blur among the forest twf-
light-perhaps silhouetted against the moon
for an instant-and then the war is on In
earnest. For some reason a crow seems to
be incapable Of resisting the attack of an
owl When an owl attacks turkey at
roost the silly and ungainly bird slides
over to the under side of the limb and the
owl grasps its claws into stfh feathers.
while the turkey drops to the ground and
runs away in the underbrush. But when
an owl dashes at crow the big bird cow
ers and yells for help. AS the sharp talons
of the owl penetrate the lean flesh OF the
dying bird 1t yells and screams and calls
aloud for rescue. And the unstricken
crows respond bravely.
within half a second from the time OF
the first alarm every crow In the irnme-
date vicinity Is circling above the tree.
tops and clamoring for the blood or that
owl The minute the bird of prey mounts
with its captive all the crows are on fs
back pounding 1t with their wings. peckns
at Its eyes with their heavy DIS anu
scratching at Its feathers Win men ~.
curved claws. We have seen as many -
fifty crows attacking an owl at the same
time. Hampered ii is with DYING
crow and weighted down with the tx.rs
ballast. the owl finds 1t hard work TO reno
off the horde of angry foes, and unless ~
can get away inside of half minute II Is
compelled to drop its supper and ny away,
Swapping it's bill and ruffiing its feathers
with anger.
For half an hour or more after the owl
has fed. the crows keep up their cawing
and clamorfng, as If loud talk could
Sriehten anything. Meanwhile, the stricken
crow. which has been rescued by ITS COM m
ma MONS lies on the ground and croaks TOT
helm ali night. or until death arrives ana
sflences Its complaints.
The owls are the most formidable Toes
the crows of Maine have. Most owls seem
TO like the flesh and will eat II sooner tnan
mice or rats or frogs. We have demon
strated this fact by offering various KINDS
of food to tame owls and seeing them Sc
iect crow meat In preference to chicken or
squirrel.
yubep One Wants Work