Snare Of The Fowler, parts 2004 - 2007

 2004. Although Otis could not understand what they were saying, the subject of the argument was business and economics. The question of the state of the economy, problems of unemployment, the price of grain and cereals as a rule hardly ever came up in bird conversation. If you see four of five sparrows having a chat in the yard as they peck around here and there, you will hardly ever hear them talking about stock prices or the cost of gasoline.

 2005. Almost always they talk about the weather, that is their favorite subject. After that they like to discuss the berry harvest and the state of the fruit at any one time of year. Talk of blueberries often will lead to talk of famous harvests of the past, and certain years that are considered high points in bird history, as far as berry harvests go.

 2006.The subject of harvests sometimes leads the old timers to recall periods of drought and famine, but talk of disasters is very discouraged in the bird community, and heard most often among the old when they get together on a banister by themselves. Only the crows indulge a morbid sensibility, cawing at length about the year of our Lord 1220 when it did not rain for 97 days on end.  The crow population dwindled from 46 million down to 46, and those 46 were very unhappy birds.

2007. But crows are a culture to themselves, and they will hardly ever put a caw in when they hear bluejays or sparrows talking about their favorite foods. Crows will sometimes talk to the pigeons, but although they seem to get along, it is an illusion. A crow may perhaps put in his two cents when four or five pigeons are conducting a criticism of a piece of statuary, but the pigeons know for a fact that no crow is really interested in the aesthetics of sculpture.