18 



swear words, when the nurse entered the ward. Even 

 then the bird dechned to take any notice of flying 

 mops and dusters. 



We have a special staff of ' crow-boys ' (chokras of 

 about 8 to 14 years of age) whose raison d'etre is the 

 alarming away of these pernicious corvi. 



Needless to say the staff is futile for the purpose. 

 The boys are provided with string bows, with which 

 to aim stones at Mr, Corvus. 



I do not believe that anything short of gunpowder 

 fringed with No. 4 or No. 8 will exercise the slightest 

 influence over these companions of the poor, — who 

 are always with us." 



Crows seem to be particularly partial to hospitals. 

 The author of The Glvilian in Loiver Bengal relates 

 the following anecdote. 



" On one occasion as 1 was passing the principal 

 police station (at Dacca) I saw a crowd gathered 

 round, and went to ascertain the cause. There 

 I found a beautiful Cashmeri woman lying on the 

 floor with her robe almost off, and positively welter- 

 ing in blood. It turned out that her husband had 

 2 



