36 



mistakes the light of the moon for that of dawn. 

 When he discovers his error he is very angry but 

 does not say much for fear of rousing the rest of 

 the colony. 



Crows do not often make mistakes as to times 

 and seasons, but an eclipse of the sun appears to 

 be beyond their comprehension. "When the total 

 eclipse of the sun occurred in January 1898" writes 

 Eha, " the crows of Viziadroog, where I was 

 encamped, were quite taken in and all gathered 

 together in the sleeping tree. When day reappeared, 

 almost before they had got their heads tucked in, 

 they all started into the air with a simultaneous 

 shout of surprise and indignation. They seemed 

 to think a practical joke had been played upon 

 them." 



But to return to crows roosting at night. Accord- 

 ing to Colonel Cunningham " in event of a thunder- 

 storm with vivid lightning or violent gusts of wind, 

 sudden outbursts of expostulation occur at intervals." 



This, I submit, is excusable. The most pious of 

 birds ought to be pardoned for indulging in a little 

 profanity under such circumstances. 



