Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/213

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Chapter XX.
How to Rear Wild Birds—Continued.
The Crow, Hawk, and other Large Birds.
"I want my Ma!"

A fuzzy topknot surmounting a head too heavy for the slender neck to hold upright; large, protruding eyes protected by lids that are tightly gummed together; a bluish black skin, with no feathers to hide the wrinkles; a large paunch like an alderman. Such is the appearance of a very young crow; and after a glance at the accompanying sketch, drawn from nature, the reader will no doubt agree with the writer in calling it the worst looking "baby in the woods," and if mischief be a sign of badness, then "Jim Crow" does not belie his looks. He is especially comical when his great blood-red mouth is expanded to its utmost dimension in expectancy as he awaits a morsel of food.

Of all our native birds the crow is probably the hardiest, and the least trouble to bring up by hand. Almost any kind

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