Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-01
TaxidermiSt at Smithsonian
Tells of Habits of Crows


| before they can talk is a fall
lacy" said Mr.. Nelson r. Wood, bird
| taxidermist at the Smithsonian Institu-
ton, the other day. II have had crows
for pets all my life and the majority
have talked without any doctoring what
| ever
This statement was made after a visitor
to Mr.. Woods workshop had been intro
| duced to a big intelligent looking crow.
| Young Jack" who. upon being noticed.
| made a great commotion by hopping
around in his cage Nlr. Wood 1t is who
stuffs the specimens which are on eX-
hibition at the museum, and his little
shop, which is in reality nothing more
than an old barn. is d veritable 'Old
Curiosity Shop Big birds and little
birds sit together in the various cases
or lie around dismally in punches on the
tables waiting to be mounted.
1.-The crow" Mr.. Wood continued after
young jack had been made to keep
quiet, lis the most intelligent Of all birds
same time the most silly in it's fear.
which is apparently without foundation:
That one is the fourth bird 1 have had
within the last few years. The other
| three died during my absence in the
summer. In those birds 1 noted certain
characteristics. One was afraid of
| common soda cracker and a swinging
| door. Nothing could induce him to leave
| his perch If a cracker were put in the
| cage. Another was afraid of peanuts
at time should a peanut be put on
the top of his food. Still another would
| be terrified at the sight of anything
black. a ribbon or tie having the same
From the fund Of knowledge which Mr..
Wood has stored up about crows he is
able to tell many interesting and anus
ing little tales which illustrate his
statement concerning the intelligence of
the bird.
In my youth ! was a farmer boy"
said Mr.. Wood. land one Of the few pets
had was crow which my teacher had
given me. No matter where 1 went the
would be but a few feet away looking
! for something to eat. Sometimes l would
find worm and would call to him, Come
hero. Jack, and see what I've found
him to my side. The wild crows tried
to get Jack to go with them, but he re-
| fused, and from that time on he lived
in mortal terror of them.
Il have seen some wonderful instances
of intelligence on the part of the crow.
One old fellow, for instance, used to de-
light in taking the top of backing box
to the top of an old board which stood
slide to the bottom. He found pleasure
in that at all times. One of my Jacks
used to like his bread soaked. One day
he saw d box top. He took 1T. turned it
over and put his bread in it. Then
carrying it to his trough. put it under
the water for a second and then pro-
ceeded to eat il.
las to q. crows ability to talk. some
will and others will never learn how,
but l do not believe that splitting their
| tongues has anything to do with it. The
first of the four birds / have had re-
Gently was wonderful talkcr. Unlike
the parrot. his conversation was inteli-
gent. rather than simply initiative. For
instance. if said to him, Hello, Jack
he would answer Hello and not put OH
the Jack, as SO many parrots do when
one says Hello. Polly
But he could initiate me also. He
round that when any one called and said
Hello, Wood my reply was q low
Hello He tried III every way to imi-
tate that low tone of mine, and finally
succeeded. He would go over to his water
would cry Hello, Wood then down
would go his head in the trough and out
would come the Hello just like mine
But Young jack is not the only live
| bird occupant Of Mr.. Woods little shop
A little canary of unusual singing quail
ity shares honors with him, while two
tiny Cuban finches twitter away in a
cage of their own. And by one of the
windows lives a large-taifed goldfish.
But even this does not conclude the list.
In an adjoining room is forlorn little
chicken. wild variety from Africa. Also
there is a large cage in which live ever
SO many mice. And Of all of them Mr..
Wood has stories to tell.
Il have raised hundreds of those MICE
said Mr.. Wood. and am trying to obtain
certain cross. I have only one little
yellow fellow, and all the others are the
belted variety or white with black spots.
What ] want to get is one with black
spots and in addition yellow and gray.
like the common run of mice. But have
not yet been able to do it
Mr.. Wood is a disciplinaran. While all
his pets are fond of him, they yet know
that he demands obedience. The little
canary has recently picked up a doleful
note, which irritates MI Wood excessive
tent that he has threatened to get an
other little scngster If this one doesn't
stop. However. he is doing his best to
break the bird of the habit, and every
out, angrfly: IF you don't stop that l
shall whip your Usually he throws a
small ball Of paper at him. Needless to
say, "Dcky" disccntinues-for the time
being.
But my crows" says Mr.. Wood. re-
turning to his favorite subject "A crow
is the most affectionate Of birds so far
as 1 have been able to find out. Once
crow attaches himself to you he will al
ways be your friend. Leave him and he
will be fond Of but one person till you
return, and when you do he will go back
to you. Their affection Is almost like that
Of a dog. A crow must have playthings.
and he really plays with them. When L
am busy hammering away, for instance,
Young Jack hammers away in his cage
with stick he has. They are also the
cleanest birds / know. Even while eat
ing If the tinieSt bit gets on their plum
age they stop Immediately and remove it.
But 7 have never been able to under
stand their fear concluded MIR. Wood
1T Is so absolutely without reason. But
so far, l am glad to say, Young Jack
has not developed any special brand oil
fear"