716 APPENDIX. 



country, it has fared far otherwise with the Carrion Crow, 

 Corvus Corone, which, I am happy to say, abounds with us, 

 albeit every man's hand appears to be uplifted against him. I 

 generally see a pair or two all the year round close to our town. 

 They haunt the river side, keeping a sharp look-out after the 

 animal and vegetable offal left upon the pastures by sudden 

 inundations. These birds, however, are not numerous in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of Leicester, being much harassed 

 by the gamekeepers ; but in the southernmost part of the 

 county, they are abundant. There the fields are large, grassy, 

 and open, being principally adapted for pasturage, and feed- 

 ing cattle for the London markets. There being thus little 

 tillage, and a corresponding paucity of game, the Carrion 

 Crow is not there persecuted as in other parts of the county, 

 where game is abundant, and persons are employed to pro- 

 tect it. Hereabouts I have seen it in little groups of fours 

 and sixes, perhaps so many families, which had not broken 

 up their brotherhood. The Carrion Crow is easily known 

 by its black mandibles, and loud sonorous croak, which is 

 deeper and less frequently emitted than that of the E;Ook, 

 and in uttering which it distends and stretches out its neck, 

 after the manner of the Turkey, this habit being not so per- 

 ceivable in the Rook. Besides, it is the latest of our diurnal 

 birds in retiring to roost. I have seen them in the pastures 

 when it has been nearly dark, so that I have come upon them 

 unobserved. On the 9th October 1839, when crossing a large 

 pasture field, I came upon a pair that were feeding on the black 

 beetles and their grubs, Geotrupes stercorarius, which are 

 always to be found in gre.^t plenty in pastures and old inclo- 

 sures where cattle feed. The evening was dark and overcast, 

 so that I could not discern them at a greater distance than about 

 ten yards ; but there was no croak, no sound save the wdiistle 

 of their wings, as they made their circuit around me to settle 

 upon the ranpikes of a solitary ash. I mention this circum- 

 stance in order to shew that it is not in the breeding season 

 alone that we find the Carrion Crow so late in the pastures. 

 I am indeed persuaded that it remains upon the pastures long 

 after all our diurnal non-migrating birds have retired to rest 



