Ti fHB OBOW. 



vigilance of tha mother hen, who often prores too farmld* 

 ble for him. 



ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES. 



A few days ago (says Mr. Wilson), a Crow was observed 

 eagerly attempting to seize some yonng chickens in an 

 orchard, near the room where I write j but these clustering 

 close round the hen, she resolutely defended them, drove 

 the Crow into an apple-tree, whither she instantly pursued 

 him with such spirit and intrepidity, that he was glad to 

 make a speedy retreat, and abandon his design. 



The Crow himself sometimes falls a prey to the superior 

 strength and rapacity of the great owl, whose weapons of 

 offence are by far the more formidable of the two. 



" A few years ago," says a correspondent of Mr. Wilson, 

 '^ I resided on the banks of the Hudson, about seven miles 

 from the city of New York. Not far from the place of my 

 residence was a pretty thick wood or swamp, in which great 

 numbers of Crows, who used to cross the river from the 

 opposite shore, were accustomed to roost. Returning hom»> 

 ward one afternoon, from a shooting excursion, I had occa- 

 sion to pass through this swamp. It was near sunset, and 

 troops of Crows were flying in all directions over my head. 

 While engaged in observing their flight, and endeavouring 

 to select from among them an object to shoot at, my cars 

 were suddenly assailed by the distressful cries of a Crow, 

 who was evidently stni^ling under the talons of a merci< 



