HOODED CROW. 245 



Migration Committee furnish abundant evidence respecting its 

 appearance annually at all the Yorkshire Light stations, but 

 the instances are too numerous to be given in detail, though 

 it may be mentioned that " rushes " occurred in 1879, after 

 the " Skua gale," and each year afterwards in October, until 

 1887, also in 1889, 1891, 1893, and 1895. It sometimes 

 begins to come from seaward at daylight and continues 

 " dropping in " until noon, or occasionally later, giving rise 

 to the opinion that it migrates by both day and night. Off 

 Flamborough Head a long straggling flock was once noticed 

 two miles off shore, passing over at a great height and descend- 

 ing on approaching the land ; and when out at sea I have 

 often observed parties coming over in long, irregular lines, 

 flying very slowly, and apparently tired out with the long 

 journey. In October 1881, a Hooded Crow alighted on a 

 fishing-coble, was brought ashore and put up for auction 

 at the fish-market on the sands, but as soon as its captor 

 placed it on the coble seat it spread its wings and flew off 

 before a bid was offered, greatly to the amusement of the 

 bystanders ; another instance is recorded of one coming on 

 board a ship on passage from Goteborg to Hull, and travelling 

 by it to the Humber. Most of these immigrants (pauper 

 aliens !) disperse over the country soon after arrival, although 

 many remain in the neighbourhood of the coast, where they 

 often come to the marshes, and at low tide associate with 

 Carrion Crows to feed on any refuse or garbage thrown up 

 on the shores of the estuaries. In severe winters they attack 

 the weakly Thrushes, Redwings, and other small birds that 

 are reduced to starvation point, and fall an easy prey to 

 the marauding Crow. It is a rather scarce species in the 

 West Riding, being more frequently found in the dales and 

 moorland districts than in the flat open parts, but it is very 

 common in the East and North Ridings after October. As 

 spring approaches it receives a considerable degree of attention 

 from the gamekeepers, especially on the moors, where it 

 plunders the eggs of Grouse, or any other birds whose nests 

 are accessible, and also works havoc amongst weakly lambs 

 and ewes in the fell districts. 



