Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-01-14
THE CROW.

Dear Social Corner Sisters With the
approach OF winter, the country loses it's
charm for many persons. The green
of the fields and the riotous verdure
of the woods are gone, and the brown
-expanses Of dead grass and weeds are
relieved only by tho naked biackness of
the forest trees. This however, is q
splendid time 10 go afeld to look for
birds. If the wild life is less abundant
now, even more sparse Is the human life
and SO you will have the country more
to yourself,
One of the birds very sure to be seen
and heard in a walk is the crow, for
many of his race spurn the popular
bird movement southwark lp the au-
tunn when the north begins TO freeze
I like him best at this time Of the year.
There is no young corn for him to phil
now, no birds nests to pilfer, and no
young chickens to steal. He has few
! places where he can hide, and his black
shape looms sharp against the snow
clad hills
! Crows are among the earliest birds In
spring to build their nests and usually
| freshly laid eggs may be found during
the first half of April. These eggs are
blush green, thiclzly marked with vari-
Gus shades Of brown, SO that they blend
| admirably with the canopy Of green pine
needles among which the nest is SO Oft
en- placed. To climb to q crows nest
| is often quite an undertaking
The nests are heavy, compact struc.
lures, made Of sticks and twigs, and
| lined with grave vine bark. grass, and
sometimes with moss.
For hundreds Of years farmers havs
regarded the crow as one Of their most
annoying enemies. This IS chiefly be.
cause the crows dearly love to pub III
corn shortly after It has sprouted. They
do this to get the grain Of seed corn
which has become softened by contact
with the soft earth.
Then, too, as the grain begins TO germ
mate, the starch 1t contains turns t,
, sugar, and thus there is many q daint!
, tidbit which IS quite to the liking Of TIL
, hungry crow. Very naturally. therefore
!. the farmer seeks to rid the neighborhoot
Of these black-feathered. visitors Tim
and again he takes his gun and sailie
forth; but no sooner does he enter tn
, field where the birds are feeding thai
{ an old crow, which has established him
, self as a sentinel on some tree or fence
! stake. gives warning cav that all c
/ his friends understand, and in nomen
the entire flock takes flight to the near
est woods, where they calmly await tn
I departure of their dlsturber.
3 Now and then the farmer or his boy
. by hiding among the trees or along
r fence, succeeds in shooting a crow Vine
this Is accomplished. the birds body
j often tied to pole, which Is then Sc
. UP in the field, as a warning to tn
= birds fellows Of the fate that await
4 them II they persist in returning. !
( chorus Of jesring "caWs' Is often tn
a only answer the farmer gets for hi
q trouble, for let no one ever forget tina
the crow is about the smartest bird
I which we have any knowledge If h
j; were not a bird of most UNUSUAL wis
9 dom, his race would long since hay
e passed away. Think of the hundreds c
+. thousands Of farmers. who, through tn
g centuries have tried every possibl
o means of destroying these birds A
= a matter CT fact. the crow is not alto
!. gether q bad bird. and if he were I'll
u derstood better L have little doubt tbs