to his family. The crow eats no orchard fruit, and only a little corn in the milk. He is not afraid of scare crows, but he is shy of bits of bright tin or looking glass strung across the tops of corn fields, and flashing in the sun. A few precautions will make the crow a good and useful neighbor.
Birds are our little brothers of the air who help us keep the earth green and fruitful. They alone are able to keep the unseen armies of insect enemies in check. We need their help, and how willingly they work for us. Of all our little animal brothers they alone can sing and fly. They take up no useful room, and they earn their own living. At the same time they make the world a more beautiful place to live in.
They have so many human ways. They love their mates; they care so tenderly for their babies. They have such skill, such industry, such courage, such devotion to duty, such grace of movement and beauty of plumage and voice. Don't you think, since they help us so much, we should be willing to help them a little? All they want is protection, and a little help in the kind of food they need, where wild fruits and seeds do not grow. Provide nesting places for them about town houses. Where they are wanted they will come, year after year. Then, when they fly away in the autumn, we will know that they have helped us grow grains and fruits, vegetables, shade trees and flowers. See names of birds, beside Owls, Hawks, Pigeon, Cuckoo, Quail (plate), House pets (cats to be watched).
