298 THE ROYSTON, OR HOODED CROW. 



male and female only being found in company ; but it sometimes chooses to associate in little 

 flocks of fifteen or sixteen in number. It seems to prefer the seacoast to any inland locality, 

 as it there finds a great variety of food, and is not much exposed to danger. I have often 

 seen these birds perching upon the rocks at low water, and searching for food among the 

 dank seaweed, and in the rock-puddles that are left by the retreating tide. They seemed 

 always extremely bold, and would permit a very close approach without exhibiting any 

 alarm. 



The food of the Hooded Crow is almost wholly of an animal nature, and consists of small 

 quadrupeds, carrion of every kind, worms, insects, marine animals, and the miscellaneous 

 mass of animal substances which are cast up by the tide and left upon shore. Limpets form 

 a considerable portion of its food, and are detached from the rock, to which they cling so 

 tightly, by an adroit peck and wrench of the bill. Sometimes it is said that the poor Crow is 

 not quick enough in its movements, and is held so firmly to the rock by the alarmed limpet, 

 that it is retained in that unpleasant position until the returning tide overwhelms both 

 mollusk and bird. 



Mussels and cockles are also favorite dainties with the Hooded Crow, which, however, is 

 unable to open their tightly-closed shells with its beak, and has recourse to the expedient of 

 carrying its prey to a great height in the air, and smashing the shell by letting it fall, upon a 

 rock. Sometimes its ingenuity has been very ill rewarded by the loss of its dinner, for no 

 sooner has the shell struck upon the rock than it is seized and carried off by another Hooded 

 Crow which has concealed itself near the spot. As the mussels are often very firmly bound to 

 the rock, this ingenious bird employs another mode of breaking their shells. He takes a toler- 

 ably large stone in his beak, rises perpendicularly above the mussel bed, drops the stone at 

 random upon the black mass of mollusks below, and descends to feed on the bodies of those 

 which have been crushed by the missile. 



Not only does the Hooded Crow feed upon such harmless diet as has already been men- 

 tioned, but it makes great havoc among small and young birds, and has often been known to 

 hover about the shore sportsman, and carry off the dead and wounded birds as they fall to the 

 gun. It also haunts the farm-yard when it finds a deficiency of food in the open country, and 

 darting among the poultry, kills and carries off young chickens, or breaks and drains the eggs 

 on which the hens are sitting. Sickly and very young lambs are also persecuted by this vora- 

 cious bird, who goes its rounds among the flocks as regularly as a sentinel, and if its watchful 

 eye should discover a lamb or sheep lying on its back in a ditch, is sure to hasten its death 

 by punching out its eyes with its long and powerful bill. For these reasons, the Hooded 

 Crow is entirely detested by the country people, many of whom are imbued with sundry 

 superstitions concerning its origin and object. 



Like many of the same tribe, it is a most annoying neighbor to the larger birds, especially 

 those of a rapacious nature, and never can allow a hawk, heron, or owl to pass within ken 

 without mobbing it in a very persevering manner. 



The Hooded Crow never breeds in society, but always builds its nest at some distance from 

 the homes of any other of the same species, so that, although a forest or a range of cliffs may 

 be inhabited by these birds, the nests are scattered very sparingly over the whole extent. The 

 structure of the nest is somewhat similar to that of the crows and rooks, being a mass of sticks 

 and heather stalks as a foundation, upon which is placed a layer of wool, hair, and other soft 

 substances. Sometimes the bird builds a better and more compact nest with the bark of trees ; 

 and in all cases this species breeds very early in the season. 



It is said that the Hooded Crow will sometimes breed with the common species, and the 

 following curious observations are recorded in the "Field Naturalist," and quoted by Mr. 

 Yarrell in his history of the bird : 



"For four successive years I have had opportunities of witnessing the pairing of the 

 carrion Crow and the Hooded Crow upon some large beech-trees which surrounded my house. 

 They never re-occupied the old nest, nor did they always build their nest on the same tree ; 

 nor was I positively certain that they were the same individuals who returned every year to 

 these trees, though it is probable that they were, for they were never molested. Knowing the 



