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 "That certainly was a sad event," remarked the president during the quiet which succeeded this terrible announcement. "It shows that the clan should be careful about digging in when there is liable to be a great freeze. For my part I would rather take my chances in the top of a pine or hemlock. You must all be more careful this coming winter.

"Hawks, owls and hunters have taken their usual toll from our ranks, but, thanks to our loyal mother crows, we have made our numbers good. I call for three cheers for the mother crows of this convention."

"Caw, caw, caw," resounded through the maple grove. At this the lady crows looked very happy and well satisfied.

"Nearly four hundred young crows were hatched this spring," continued the chairman, "of which nearly two hundred are here to-day. That is a good per cent. to survive."

"Good, good, good," chorused the clan.

"There is one fact that I wish to call attention to and to suggest a remedy. That is that so many of our old crows are blind in the right