CARRION CROW. 7 I 



And Crows on eager wings, 

 To tear the flesh of captains, 

 And peck the eyes of kings. 



Macaxjlay— Lake RegiUus. 



From the earliest times auguries have been drawn from Crows. 

 Virgil notices a Crow on the left hand as a sign of good luck. 



Ante sinistra eavS, monuisset ab ilice cornix. 



Ec. ix., 15. 



And when two or more are seen by a newly married couple it is 

 stated by Fosbrook as a sign of good luck (and Crows include 

 Rooks here, ladies 1 ) ; but its croaking at all times was of evil 

 omen. — (Antiquities^ p. T024). 



Is it not ominous in all countries 

 When Crows and Ravens croak in trees ? 



Butler— ^uc?t6ras. 



If the old shower-foretelling Crow 



Croak not her boding note in vain, 

 To-morrow's eastern storm shall strow 



The woods with leaves, with weeds the main. 



Francis Horace— Oc?e XYII. 



The Crow has had a bad character from a remote period. The 

 old border ballad, "The Twa Corbies," said to date from the 

 sixteenth century, supposes two Crows in conversation. 



The t'ane unto t'other did say, 

 Where sail we gang and dine to-day. 



In behint yon old fell dyke 



I wot there lies a new-slain knight. 



Ye'll sit on his white hause-bain, 

 And I'll pick out his bonny blue een ; 

 Wi ae lock o' his gowden hair 

 We'll theek our nest when it grows bare. 



The imaginary conversation between the Crows in this ballad, 

 and also in a similar old one, that of " The three Ravens," may 

 possibly have given rise to the nursery imitation of crow language, 

 often given by old nurses to amuse Herefordshire children. The 

 first Crow comes flying home in a hurry, crying out " Dead horse," 

 " Dead horse." His mate at home says, " Whar ? " " Whar ? " and 

 when the first Crow has answered " Down at Monkmoor," " Down 



