JABBERING CROW. 215 



I have never met with the nest ; but a young 

 friend, to whom I am indebted for several interest- 

 ing facts, tells me, that about the beginning of last 

 June, he was accustomed to see a pair on a very 

 lofty cotton-tree, which he thought were nest- 

 ing. He repeatedly saw them go and " lie down," 

 as he expressed it, in a large bunch of wild-pine, 

 where they would remain for some time ; and when 

 one flew out, the other, which had been sitting on 

 the same tree, would go and sit in the place. 

 Usually the bird will leave its position on the slight- 

 est alarm, but when either of these was in its hollow, 

 nothing would induce it to fly. He on one occasion 

 fired thrice at the sitting bird, but she would not 

 leave her place, and the situation was too lofty 

 for the shot to reach her. The approach of the 

 birds to the wild-pine was always perfectly silent and 

 cautious ; but they would dart out on any other 

 bird flying near, and drive it away with clamour. 

 On the whole, I have no doubt that this pair had 

 a nest in the wild-pine. 



The same young friend once witnessed a singular 

 rencontre between two Jabbering Crows, and two 

 Red-tail Buzzards, and in this case it is probable 

 that parental solicitude gave the desperate courage. 

 A single Hawk flying along was pounced upon by 

 a Crow from a neighbouring tree, and a flying 

 fight commenced, the Hawk thrusting forth his 

 talons in endeavour to clutch, in which he once 

 succeeded, and the Crow repeatedly striking his 

 enemy forcibly with his sharp and powerful beak. 

 Now and then each would rise perpendicularly and 



