CARRION CROM\ 527 



vouch for one fact to the contrary which came under my ob- 

 servation. I recollect when I was one day sitting at the side 

 of an old wall, reading a hook, a Carrion Crow flew over my 

 head, with an egg in its bill. I halloed, and down dropped 

 the egg into the middle of the field. On going to take it up, 

 I found, to my astonishment, that it was whole. It was the 

 egg of the common Wild Duck. 



" The Carrion Crow is very easily tamed, and is strongly at- 

 tached to the person who brings him up. I kept one for two 

 years and a half. It flew round about the neighbourhood, and 

 roosted every night on the trees of my shrubbery. At what- 

 ever distance he was, as soon as he heard my voice he immedi- 

 ately came to me. He was very fond of being caressed, but 

 should any one except myself stroke him on the head or back, 

 he w^as sure to make the blood spring from their fingers. He 

 seemed to take a very great delight in pecking the heels of 

 barefooted youths. The more terrified they were, the more 

 did his joy seem to increase. Even the heels of my pointers, 

 when he was in his merry mood, did not escape his art of in- 

 geniously tormenting. His memory was astonishing. One 

 Monday morning, after being satiated w^ith food, he picked up 

 a mole which was lying in the orchard, and hopped with it 

 into the garden. I kept out of his sight, as he seldom concealed 

 any thing when he thought you observed him. He covered it 

 so nicely with earth that after the most diligent search I could 

 not discover where he hhd put it. As his wings had been cut 

 to prevent him from flying over the wall into the garden, he 

 made many a fruitless attempt during the week to get in at the 

 door. On Saturday evening, however, it having been left open, 

 I saw him hop to the very spot where the mole had been so 

 long hid, and, to my surprise, he came out with it in the 

 twinkling of an eye." 



YouxG. — In their first plumage the Carrion Crows are of 

 the same colour as when lull grown, but their tints are less 

 vivid. After leaving the nest they continue for several weeks 

 under the care of their parents. 



