40 



But anything really unusual the crows, like the 

 little nipper, " can't abide." It seems to drive them 

 momentarily mad and they set upon it and peck it 

 to pieces. Some time ago I saw about twenty crows 

 savagely attacking a companion whose legs had been 

 tied to his tail by some mischievous person. 



I am told that a Madras civilian, who retired some 

 years ago, loved not the ''ignoble crow." He 

 never lost an opportunity of catching one. Having 

 shaved off its feathers, he would paint the naked 

 bird blue or red and then let it loose. It was 

 immediately set upon and pecked to death by its 

 former friends. This habit is said to be utilised by 

 the gyp!=^y f<^^>^k who esteem crows highly as table 

 birds. " A live crow" writes Lockwood Kipling, " is 

 spread-eagled on his back, with forked pegs holding- 

 down his pinions. He flutters and cries, and other 

 crows come to investigate his case and presently 

 attack him. With claws and beak he seizes an 

 assailant and holds huu fast. The gypsy steps 

 from hiding and secures and pinions the second 

 crow. These catch two more, the four catch four 

 more and so on, until there are enough for dinner, or 

 to take into a town, where the crow-catcher stands 



