96 BIEDS OF MIDDLESEX. 



noted the species as breeding regularly at Enfield, 

 Hendon, Edgewarebury, Kingsbury, Pinner, and 

 Greenford. Owing to its destructive habits, the 

 Carrion Crow has but few friends, and it is singular 

 how it has contrived to exist in such numbers, in 

 spite of the persecution it everywhere meets with. 

 Its extreme wariness must be the cause of this. 

 Amongst the long list of crimes attributed to this 

 bird, not the least heinous are those of carrying off 

 game-eggs and killing weak and sickly lambs. But, 

 while having regard to these offences, we should not 

 overlook the fact that the Crow cannot obtain lamb 

 and eggs all the year round, and the examination of 

 several birds shows that grubs, snails and beetles 

 form a considerable portion of their food. 



" Even the blackest of them all, the Crow, 

 Renders good service as your man-at-arms. 

 Crushing the beetle in his coat of mail, 

 And crying havoc on the slug and snail."* 



I have not unfrequently noticed the Crows pacing 

 along the muddy shores of the Reservoirs at low 

 water in search of the mussels wliich are then 

 exposed, and of which they appear ver}^ fond. When 

 a shell proves unusually hard and impregnable, they 

 will rise into the air with it, and drop it from a 

 height to break it, following it quickly in the descent 



* 



Longfellow, ' Birds of Killingworth.' 



