28 BIRD WATCHING 



tried to dodge, each time, and this lasted some while. 

 Here it seems very different ; and now again a com- 

 pact little flock of peewits is flying backwards and 

 forwards over the river with a hooded crow — not the 

 same bird but another — right amongst them. This 

 continues for some little time, till the peewits go 

 down on the margin, and the crow then flies into a 

 tree hard by. After a little interval the peewits fly 

 off again, and almost directly the crow is with them, 

 and again they fly backwards and forwards over the 

 water, for some time, as before. And again I note — 

 and this time it is still more marked and unmistakable 

 — that the crow is flying amongst the peewits exactly 

 as they fly. At least he is speaking French with 

 them "after ye school of Stratford — at-y-Bow," for 

 who flies exactly like a peewit but a peewit? But 

 he sweeps with them — now upwards, now downwards 

 — in smooth, gliding sweeps, a curious, rusty-looking, 

 black and grey patch in the midst of their gleaming 

 greens and whites. Yet he is a handsome bird too, 

 is the hooded crow, but not when he flies with 

 peewits. Now the peewits again go down, and the 

 crow straightway flies into another tree. Shortly 

 afterwards, a moor - hen, feeding on the grass, is 

 hustled by one of the peewits into the water. Here, 

 again, hostility was evident, whereas with the crow 

 I could see no trace of it. He seemed to be enjoying 

 himself, whilst the peewits, on their part, showed no 

 objection to his company. 



" Late in the afternoon there is a pause and hush. 

 The birds have ceased flying till dusk, and are either 

 standing still or walking over the ground. One I 

 can see motionless amidst the brown, tufted grass. 



