CARRION CROW. 521 



ter from 1^^| to 11^^. The young are at first scantily covered 

 with blackish down. 



I am happy in being enabled to add to the above account of 

 a Crow, with the habits of which I am less acquainted than 

 with those of any other British species, the following very in- 

 teresting observations of my excellent friend Mr. Hogg. 



" Stobo Hope, 7th January 1837. — I think I had been saying 

 in my last that the Raven, though he often feeds on garbage, 

 is a magnanimous bird compared with the Carrion Crow. 

 This bird descends to the most dishonourable expedients, to 

 support itself, of any creature that I am acquainted with. 

 Take a short history of its conduct during the lambing season, 

 and it will give you some idea of its deportment through life. 

 Only two Carrion Crows constantly reside within the bounds 

 of the farm on which I now herd ; and it is seldom that I pass 

 through the glen, at M^hatever season of the year, without see- 

 ing them winnowing about, or wrangling with some stranger 

 hawk ; but during the lambing season our hills swarm with 

 them. The ewe, when about to lamb, has an aversion to the 

 sight of any human being, and to prevent being disturbed ge- 

 nerally retires to some distant and lonely spot. This exactly 

 suits the villanous designs of the Crows, who no sooner per- 

 ceive that the pains of parturition have seized the poor per- 

 plexed creature, than two or three pairs assemble within sight, 

 each individual taking its station on some small eminence in 

 the neighbourhood. When the pains are very sharp, the ewe 

 in her struggles will sometimes throw herself on her back, or 

 on one of her sides, from which posture she cannot recover 

 herself, or at least not so readily as is requisite for her safety. 

 This is the time for these relentless creatures to make their 

 attack. They gather round, and, as if actuated by a kind of 

 revenge, first tear out the eyes. Maddened with pain, she opens 

 her mouth for fresh air, and bleats out in agony ; when, as if 

 watching the opportunity, they tear away a piece of the tongue, 

 always giving a ravenous and greedy gobble when they swallow. 

 This is not all. By the time the lamb is partially protruded^ 

 the strength of the ewe is exhausted, and her natural pains 

 blunted, so that no further progress is made. She cannot 



