260 BIKDS OF NOEFOLK. 



shore during tlie ebb tide, in searcli of muscles and 

 other shell fish. As soon as the bird has found one, it 

 flies up almost perpendicularly into the air, with the fish 

 in its beak, and lets it fall on the stones in order to 

 break its shell. The bird quickly follows the falling 

 booty, and devours it." The same habit has also been 

 observed in the Danish or Eoyston crows. An immature 

 pied variety was killed near Kimberley towards the 

 end of July, 1861. 



CORVUS CORNIX, Linnajus. 



HOODED CEOW. 



The Eoyston or Grey-backed Crow, as this species is 

 also called, visits us in autumn in large numbers, 

 arriving about the first week in October, though occa- 

 sionally earlier, and leaves again by the end of March 

 or beginning of April. They frequent for the most part 

 the broads and marshes near the rivers, particularly 

 the mouths of tidal streams, and are extremely numer- 

 ous on the sea coast, where they also gradually collect 

 together towards the time of their departure in 

 spring. It is fortunate for Norfolk that this destructive 

 species leaves us so regularly in the breeding season, as 

 no greater enemy to the gamekeeper probably exists, 

 neither eggs nor young birds, nor indeed, in some cases, 

 old ones either, being safe from its prying eyes and 

 carnivorous propensities.^ There are, however, one or 



* Mr. St. John thus sums up the iniquities of this species as 

 observed by himself in Scotland : — " It kills newly-born lambs, 

 picking out the eyes and tongue while the poor creature is still 

 alive. It preys on young grouse, partridges, hares, &c., and is 

 very destructive to eggs of all sorts. In certain feeding spots in 

 the woods I have seen the remains of eggs of the most extra- 



