248 CORVID^. 



any part of England ; for though numerous in the winter 

 at ^Newmarket Heath and Royston (whence they are some- 

 times called Eoyston Crows), and annually resorting to 

 many parts of the sea-coast, they rarely breed so far south. 

 In the Orkneys, Hebrides, and in all but the south of 

 Scotland they are of more frequent occurrence than any 

 other of the tribe, essentially belonging to the " Land of 

 the mountain and the flood." One can scarcely traverse 

 the shores of the salt-water lochs of Scotland without 

 seeing a pair, or, in the latter part of the year, a small 

 party of four or five of these birds, gravely pacing the 

 shingle and sand in quest of food. As far as my OAvn 

 experience goes, I should consider the Hooded Crow as 

 " half sea-bird," but it is said to be met with, in summer, 

 in the very centre of the Grampians and other inland 

 districts. Its diet consists of the smaller marine animals, 

 such as crabs, echini, and mollusks, alive or dead, fish and 

 carrion. At high water it retires inland, and skulks about 

 the low grounds in quest of the eggs and young of Moor- 

 fowl, thereby gaining the execrations of gamekeepers ; takes 

 a survey of any adjacent sheep walks, on the chance of 

 falling in with a new-born lamb, or sickly ewe, whence it 

 has but an ill name among shepherds ; and returns when 

 the tide has well ebbed, to finish the day's repast on food 

 of a nature light and easy of digestion. It is less wary of 

 man than the Carrion Crow, and often comes within shot, 

 but, being far too numerous to admit of being exterminated, 

 is but little assailed. In the comparatively mild climate of 

 the Scottish sea-coast, these birds find an abundant supply 

 of food all the year round, and as there is no sensible 

 diminution of their numbers in winter, it is supposed that 

 those which frequent the English coast from October to 

 March have been driven southwards by the inclement 

 winters of high latitudes. They are then frequently 

 observed on the coast of N'orfolk and Sussex in parties of 

 thirty or more, and it has been remarked that the hunting 



