196 BOMBAY DUCKS 



hostile, and acts accordingly. If it be small or weak, 

 it makes itself scarce when it catches sight of the 

 stranger ; but if it be strong or gregarious, it forthwith 

 proceeds to mob the intruder. The Indian crow, being 

 a bold, powerful bird of gregarious habits, is an excel- 

 lent subject upon which to study the feelings excited in 

 an animal by a strange species. 



Recently there arose a tremendous commotion among 

 the crows in the fort at Madras. I looked out of the 

 window to see what had happened, and observed a 

 large white object flit by, followed by a mob of excited 

 crows. The white object settled in a tree and I then 

 saw that it was a cockatoo, which had evidently escaped 

 from captivity. Its pursuers all perched in the tree, as 

 close to it as discretion permitted. Their clamours 

 filled the air. 



The cockatoo thought that the summit of the tree 

 would be a better strategic position, so climbed up to 

 the topmost branch, with the twenty or thirty crows in 

 attendance. None of them seemed to care to com- 

 mence the attack. One or two made feints, but a 

 threatening snap by the cockatoo caused them to 

 desist. So the cockatoo and the crows remained there, 

 glaring at each other. I think that the former, as he 

 sat in that tree, confronted by the black rabble, must 

 have hankered after the fleshpots of Egypt which he 

 had left behind ; he must have felt that liberty, after all, 

 was not the sweet thing which it is said to be. Never- 

 theless, he showed a bold front to the black crew. 



These, however, did not mean to let him escape. 

 They were content to await developments. After a 



