This lesson will be about a brigade of birds that do street-cleaning work. I shall head the list with the crow. You have seen that big, black bird standing all alone on a dead tree, looking the country over. You have seen him following the farmer’s rake and plough in the spring. You have seen hundreds of crows come together in the fall, to discuss their migration. You know their loud, harsh note. You have seen them in their sleek, black coats, stepping over the snow in winter time. You know in cold weather they become very tame, and draw near the houses for food. One day I heard a loud cawing of crows, and looking out saw about twenty of them flying in a long, low line over some bushes, in a field. Every now and then they stooped to the earth. I watched. They were chasing a cat. The cat hid in the bushes. He was trying to escape from the crows. They flew over the bushes and scolded. Then, as he ran from one shelter to the next, they stooped and pecked him. They chased the poor cat all across a big field. I think he was very glad when he got under a barn. I suppose the crows saw that he was watching them, and so they drove him away. When a number of crows are in a field, they keep one crow on a high place, to warn them if danger is near. They seem to be very wise birds. They know a man with a gun, as far as they can see him. Crows do some harm by pulling up and eating the planted corn and sown grain. But they are of use, as they eat many worms and insects which destroy crops. You often see crows following a farmer as he ploughs. They are after the grubs and worms in the new furrow. Crows eat lizards, mice, toads, and moles. They also feed on any dead and decaying flesh which they can find. A company of crows will pluck off all the flesh from a decaying animal, and leave the bones white and clean. The crow is about as large as a large pigeon. It is jet black, and not handsome. Like all flesh-eating birds it has a large strong beak and large strong feet. These are for tearing their prey. As crows kill young chicks and pull up grain, farmers dislike them. Have you not seen images placed in fields, to scare the crows from the crops? Crows are very noisy except when they are rearing a young brood. Then they are quiet. They do not wish the nest to be found. The nest is large and made of moss, sticks, leaves, bark, and hairs. It is built in a high tree. In it are four pale-green eggs, with olive spots. Mr. Crow helps brood the eggs. He keeps a sharp lookout for danger for half a mile about his nest. He hunts for food and brings some to Mrs. Crow as she sits on her eggs. Toward the end of summer, the young crows can fly well. Then many families of crows go to pass the night together in some place that they have chosen. I used to like to watch great flocks of crows going at sunset towards their roost. In the morning they returned.