86 MID-APRIL 
grain, but on the whole they are serviceable 
rather than harmful to the farmer, by destroy- 
ing pests, though he does not hesitate to 
shoot them when occasion offers at the season 
when the corn is ripe, or to hang up their 
dead bodies as scarecrows. 
x x * * 
The other large black birds in this country 
are the Hooded or Grey-Backed Crow, the 
Raven, andthe Chough.!. These will scarcely 
concern the town dweller. The grey-backed 
crows are strong birds like the carrion crows, 
but are larger, measuring twenty inches in 
length ; they also are foul feeders. The name 
is obtained from the dark slate colour of the 
nape of the neck, back, wings and under 
surface’ of, the. body. [he beak 16 -svery 
strong, shiny black, and is moustachioed 
with short stiff black projecting feathers. 
The legs, toes and claws are also very powerful 
and shining black. If you saw one, even at 
a distance, you would at once be attracted 
1 Pronounced Chuff. 
