PERCHING BIRDS. 129 
but distinct voice, “Ostler, come and take the gentle- 
man’s horse!” bustling about all the time in a pompous, 
amusing manner, as if he had sole charge of the 
yard. 
The Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) is a much more 
frequent species, but as its predaceous habits bring it 
unrelenting hostility, it is not abundant. Farmers dis- 
like the “corby ” for its attacks on their lambs as much 
as the keepers do for its ravages on their game, so its 
numbers are constantly thinned. 
They are rarely seen together in greater numbers than 
a single pair, and these appear to remain constant to 
each other throughout the year. Yet though exhibiting 
much affection and faithfulness to each other, their 
omnivorous appetites do not tend to recommend them 
to our notice. Nothing comes amiss to them. The 
young of hares and rabbits, as well as the nestlings 
of any species of bird, are especially subject to their 
attacks, and they are particularly partial to the eggs of 
those birds that breed upon the ground, the partridge 
and the plover for instance. I have seen them in a 
place much resorted to by the latter bird, regularly 
hunting for their eggs, of which they are very fond, 
while their poor victims flew wildly about, uttering their 
“ pease-weep in a very disconsolate and distressed tone ; 
the young of many birds are also greatly subject to their 
depredations. ; 
The Hooded Crow (Corvus corniz) is a regular visitor 
during the winter months, from November to March 
inclusive. The earliest date of its arrival I have noted 
was the 21st of October, and the latest of its departure 
the 5th of April. Mr. Harley of Leicester, in a com- 
munication to Macgillivray (vol. i. p. 721) says: “An 
K 
